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Published on: October 3, 2018
Epidemiology of autism in adults across age groups and ability levels
Traolach S Brugha1, Nicola Spiers2, John Bankart2
1Traolach S. Brugha, MD(NUI) FRCPsych, Nicola Spiers, MSc PhD, Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester; John Bankart, MSc PhD, Department of Primary Care and Health Sciences, University of Keele, Stoke-on-Trent; Sally-Ann Cooper, MD FRCPsych, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Glasgow; Sally McManus, MSc, NatCen Social Research, London; Fiona J. Scott, PhD Cpsychol, Jane Smith, MSc, Freya Tyrer, MSc, Department of Health Sciences, University of Leciester, Leciester, UK tsb@le.ac.uk.
Background:
The epidemiology of autism in adults has relied on untested projections using childhood research.
Aims:
To derive representative estimates of the prevalence of autism and key associations in adults of all ages and ability levels.
Method:
Comparable clinical diagnostic assessments of 7274 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey participants combined with a population case-register survey of 290 adults with intellectual disability.
Results:
The combined prevalence of autism in adults of all ages in England was 11/1000 (95% CI 3-19/1000). It was higher in those with moderate to profound intellectual disability (odds ratio (OR) = 63.5, 95% CI 27.4-147.2). Male gender was a strong predictor of autism only in those with no or mild intellectual disability (adjusted OR = 8.5, 95% CI 2.0-34.9; interaction with gender, P = 0.03).
Conclusions:
Few adults with autism have intellectual disability; however, autism is more prevalent in this population. Autism measures may miss more women with autism.
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