Premature mortality in a population-based cohort of autistic adults in Canada.
Autistic adults die more than three times earlier than peers without DD—so BCBAs must push for regular medical care and mental-health supports.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Lunsky et al. (2022) tracked death records for autistic adults in Canada. They compared people aged 19-65 who have autism with people who have other developmental disabilities and people with no DD. The team used government health files to see who died early.
What they found
Autistic adults died more than three times sooner than same-age adults without DD. Their risk was still high, but lower than adults with other developmental disabilities. Early death was the main outcome measured.
How this fits with other research
Mouridsen et al. (2012) seems to disagree. That Danish study found adults with childhood autism broke bones only half as often as the general public. Fewer breaks usually mean better health, not worse. The gap makes sense because bone strength and early death tap different health systems.
Garagozzo et al. (2024) backs the new finding. Their large review showed autistic adults report much lower quality of life at every age. Poor life quality often tracks with earlier death.
Payne et al. (2020) adds detail. Autistic adults in their survey felt more burden and less belonging, two feelings linked to suicide risk. These inner stresses may feed into the higher death rate Yona found.
Why it matters
You cannot assume your adult clients are healthy just because they look stable. Schedule yearly primary-care visits, check sleep, mood, and self-injury, and teach medical self-advocacy. Quick care for small problems may prevent the big ones that shorten life.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Research from different countries suggests that autistic adults are more likely to die prematurely than non-autistic adults, but these studies do not always investigate male and female individuals separately and do not consider whether this pattern is unique to autistic people or is also an issue for people with other developmental disabilities. We examined premature mortality in autistic males and females (assigned at birth) in a population-based cohort, compared to males and females with and without other developmental disabilities. Using linked administrative health and social services population data from Ontario, Canada, age-matched males and females aged 19-65 years were followed between 2010 and 2016, and causes of death were determined. Over the 6-year observation period, 330 of 42,607 persons (0.77%) in the group without developmental disabilities had died compared to 259 of 10,646 persons (2.43%) in the autism group and 419 of 10,615 persons (3.95%) in the other developmental disabilities group. Autistic males and females were more likely to die than non-autistic males (adjusted risk ratio, RR 3.13, 95%CI 2.58-3.79) and non-autistic females (adjusted RR 3.12, 95%CI 2.35-4.13) without developmental disabilities, but were less likely to die than adults with other developmental disabilities (males: adjusted RR 0.66, 95%CI 0.55-0.79; females: adjusted RR 0.55, 95%CI 0.43-0.71). Most common causes of death varied depending on a person's sex and diagnosis. Given the greater likelihood of premature mortality in adults with developmental disabilities including autism, greater attention and resources directed toward their health and social care are needed, tailored to their sex and diagnosis-informed needs. LAY SUMMARY: This study looked at how many autistic men and women died over 6 years (2010-2016), along with how they died, and compared this to adults who did not have autism living in Ontario, Canada. It found that autistic men and women were more than three times as likely to die as people of the same age who did not have a developmental disability. However, adults with other developmental disabilities besides autism were even more likely to die than autistic adults. This means that we have to pay more attention and invest in better social and health care for autistic people, along with people who have other types of developmental disabilities.
Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 2022 · doi:10.1002/aur.2741