Autism Statistics

Autism Statistics: Understanding the Challenges:

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects millions of individuals worldwide, presenting unique challenges in various aspects of life. This comprehensive overview provides key statistics on autism prevalence, employment, life expectancy, relationships, and associated conditions to highlight the critical need for support and understanding.

Prevalence and Diagnosis:

The latest research from the CDC in 2023 shows that 1 in 36 children is now diagnosed with autism, an increase from 1 in 44 two years ago.An estimated 2.2% of adults in the US are autistic, according to a CDC report. Autism prevalence is higher in males than females. (Neurodiversity Foundation believes this is due to inadequate diagnostic criteria)

Employment Challenges:

The unemployment rate for individuals with autism has been estimated to be as high as 90%.Only 14% of adults with autism hold paying jobs in the United States.About 80% of adults with autism do not have any kind of paid job experience after leaving high school.Individuals with autism earn an average of $3.50 less per hour than their coworkers without disabilities.

Life Expectancy and Health Concerns:

People with autism died 16 years earlier at an average age of 54 compared to the general population.

Adults with autism and learning disabilities died more than 30 years earlier than people without autism at an average age of 39.5 years.

Epilepsy affects 25% to 40% of patients with ASD, compared to 2% to 3% of the general population.

Gastrointestinal disorders affect as many as 85% of patients with ASD.

Chronic sleep problems affect anywhere from 50% to 80% of children with autism.

Relationships and Social Challenges:

Only 32.1% of people with autism had had a partner, and only 9% were married, compared to about 50% of adults in the general population who are married.

Autistic adults experienced a wide range of life events as traumatic, with over 40% showing probable PTSD within the last month and over 60% reporting probable PTSD at some point in their lifetime.

Mental Health and Co-occurring Conditions:

As many as 85% of children with autism also have some form of comorbid psychiatric diagnosis.

Anxiety affects 11-40% of children and teens on the spectrum.

Depression affects between 7-26% of autistic adults.

Nearly half (46%) of ABA-exposed respondents met the diagnostic threshold for PTSD.

Education and Independence:

Nearly 42% of young adults on the autism spectrum never worked for pay during their early 20s.

85% of college grads affected by autism are unemployed, compared to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%.

These statistics underscore the significant challenges faced by individuals with autism across various aspects of life, from employment and relationships to health and mental well-being. They highlight the critical need for increased support, understanding, and resources to help autistic individuals navigate the world more effectively and lead fulfilling lives.