Introduction to Autism Rates

Autism rates are “more or less equal in men and women,” according to a study that challenges previous assumptions about the prevalence of autism. While the neurological and developmental disorder is known to be more common in young boys, researchers found that there was a sharp increase in diagnoses among adolescent girls.

Diagnosis Rates Over Time

And by the age of 20, the ratio of men to women had leveled off at almost one to one. Researchers said the study highlights the need to investigate why girls and women receive the diagnosis Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) later than boys and men. Previous work on gender and autism suggested that for every four men or boys diagnosed with autism, there would be one woman or girl.

Study Findings

A study looked at autism diagnosis rates for everyone born in the country between 1985 and 2000 – more than 2.7 million people – and tracked them until 2022. During this period, approximately 2.8% of people were diagnosed with ASD. They found that the ratio of diagnoses between men and women decreased over time to the point where they "may no longer be distinguishable in adulthood."

Factors Influencing Diagnosis

The study did not take into account genetic or environmental factors, nor other autism-related conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and intellectual disability, which may have played a role in the patients’ diagnosis. Commenting on the study, experts said the findings “provide important support for what autism researchers have long known” about a significant gap in the diagnosis of autism in women.

Implications and Support

Studies of children may miss autistic traits that are already present in men but not yet visible in women. The high male-to-female ratio is also attributed to girls’ better social and communication skills, making autism more difficult to detect. Women and girls are more likely to ‘mask’ what are traditionally seen as signs of autism, making it harder to recognize the challenges they face. The findings “underline the fact that gender should never be a barrier to receiving an autism diagnosis and accessing the right support.”