A recent American study has revealed a significant gap in life expectancy among people with autism spectrum disorder.
It showed that their life expectancy is about 14 years lower than the general population in the United States, and that a large portion of the excess deaths among them could be prevented by improving healthcare and social support.
The study was conducted by researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and the University of Colorado Anschutz, and its findings were published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
The researchers relied on data from more than two million people with autism covered by Medicaid between 2000 and 2020, including beneficiaries in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. A total of 18,268 deaths were recorded among this group.
The results showed that the average life expectancy at birth for autistic individuals covered by the Medicaid program was 64.9 years, which is 5.6 years less than the average life expectancy for all beneficiaries of the program, and 13.8 years less than the average life expectancy for the general population in the United States.
Despite the increase in life expectancy for this group from 63.9 years during the period 2000-2004 to 65.6 years during the period 2015-2019, the gap remained compared to other Medicaid beneficiaries and the general population.
The researchers also found that individuals with autism were 44% more likely to die compared to those without autism who participated in the same program. The increased risk of death was observed in several conditions and causes, particularly influenza, malnutrition, pneumonia, and drowning.
The study also showed that women with autism face a larger gap in life expectancy compared to men when compared to the general population, which is largely related to higher rates of associated mental disorders and resulting excess mortality.
Dr. Guohua Lee, professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, said that the increased risk of death among those with autism spectrum disorder has been observed since the late 1980s, but the average life expectancy for this group has remained unknown due to limited data on mortality rates by age group.
He assured me that a large portion of excess deaths could be avoided by improving social support, primary care, and services provided in homes and the community, noting that the findings highlight the importance of addressing the health disparities faced by those with autism spectrum disorder.
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