The study shows that the number of cases in the US has almost tripled over the past decade

A recent report shows that autism cases are rising rapidly in the US, especially among teenage adults, with the total number of cases almost tripling over the past decade.

The test published in JAMA Network examined trends in autism diagnosis in the US from 2011 to 2022, revealing a significant augment in rates of 175%. This large-scale study analyzed data from more than 12 million patients enrolled in major U.S. health care systems.

In addition to the surge in recent diagnoses, researchers have also made captivating discoveries about diagnosis patterns based on factors such as gender, race and age. They observed that “the relative augment in autism diagnosis rates was greatest among teenage adults compared with all other age groups, among women compared with men, and for some racial and ethnic minorities compared with whites among children, but not among adults.” .

Autism diagnoses among teenage adults aged 26 to 34 have seen a staggering 450% augment. Autism rates are highest among teenage children – about 30 in 1,000 children aged 5 to 8 are diagnosed with autism.

Looking at the gender gap in autism diagnosis, the report found that while boys are still more likely to be diagnosed with autism, the “gender gap” is narrowing. The rate of recent diagnoses among female children increased by 305% compared to a 185% augment for male children. While autism diagnoses increased by 315% in women, the augment was 215% in men.

Researchers suggest that women’s increased awareness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), highlighted by their representation on social media and training programs, may be a key factor in gender changes.

When comparing different races, the augment in ASD prevalence was greater among black, Asian American, Indian, Alaska Native, and Latino children than among white children. This may be due to “implementation of universal screening and increased outreach to minority communities,” the researchers noted.

Overall, the augment in the total number of diagnoses may be due to “changes in developmental screening practices” in children and changes in “diagnosis definitions, policies, and environmental factors.”

Meanwhile, researchers warn that the actual rates may be even higher than estimated. “The rates reported here may underestimate the true prevalence of ASD in adults, especially older women, because many would not have been screened in childhood and remained undiagnosed. Nevertheless, our findings indicate that the population of autistic adults in the U.S. will continue to grow, underscoring the need to expand health care services,” the researchers noted.