School Attendance Among Autistic Students in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A Population Cross-Sectional Study Using the...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatrics
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

• Existing research shows autistic students have lower school attendance, but with significant variation.
• Large-scale, population-based studies considering age and sex differences are limited.
• This study addresses these gaps by examining school attendance in autistic versus non-autistic students, stratified by age and sex.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate school attendance rates in autistic students compared to their non-autistic peers.
• To analyze age- and sex-specific differences in school attendance for autistic students.
• To identify patterns of non-attendance among autistic students.

Main Methods:

• National retrospective cohort study utilizing population-level health and education data (2018).
• Inclusion of students aged 5 to 16 years, with autism identified via diagnostic health datasets.
• Analysis using modified Poisson regression to estimate the association between autism and regular attendance (≥90% of school half-days).

Main Results:

• Autism was associated with a significantly decreased likelihood of regular school attendance (IRR 0.88).
• Younger autistic students (5-11 years) showed a greater reduction in regular attendance likelihood (IRR 0.85).
• Marginal sex differences were observed; justified (medical) absences were more frequent in autistic students.

Conclusions:

• This study confirms significant school attendance disparities for autistic students using whole-population data.
• Comprehensive and targeted support systems are crucial for improving attendance for autistic students, their families, and schools.
• Addressing attendance gaps requires a multi-faceted approach involving students, families, and educational institutions.