Injury Mortality in Individuals With Autism

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Background:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting social interaction and communication.
• Understanding mortality patterns in individuals with ASD is crucial for public health initiatives.
• Injury fatalities represent a significant concern within the ASD population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of injury-related deaths among individuals diagnosed with autism.
• To compare injury mortality risks in the autism population against the general US population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) multiple cause-of-death data from 1999-2014.
• Identified deaths in individuals with autism using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) code F84.0.
• Calculated proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using the general US population as a reference.

Main Results:

• A total of 1367 deaths in individuals with autism were recorded, with a mean age at death of 36.2 years.
• Approximately 27.9% of deaths in individuals with autism were attributed to injury (PMR = 2.93).
• Leading causes of injury mortality included suffocation (PMR = 31.93), asphyxiation (PMR = 13.50), and drowning (PMR = 39.89).

Conclusions:

• Individuals with autism face a substantially elevated risk of death due to injuries.
• Specific injury types like suffocation, asphyxiation, and drowning are disproportionately fatal in this population.
• Findings underscore the critical need for enhanced safety measures and targeted interventions to reduce injury fatalities among individuals with autism.