By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-12-20 05:11:44 | Updated at 2024-12-20 11:45:57
6 hours ago
An estimated 61.8 million people worldwide were on the autism spectrum in 2021, according to a study that highlighted the need for early detection and support of the developmental condition.
Autism affects about 1 in 127 people, researchers from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study found.
That’s a jump from the 1-in-271 reported in 2019, which may have underestimated the condition – characterised by ongoing challenges in social communication, interaction, sensory processing, and repetitive behaviours or interests, and, in some cases, intellectual disability, with varying levels of severity.
Autistic people face a heightened risk of social isolation, academic or workplace challenges, and may require psychosocial support well into adulthood, the researchers said, as they ranked autism among the top 10 non-fatal health challenges for youth. They touted the likelihood of vast improvement in outcomes when the condition was detected early and lifelong support provided.
“The persistence of the health burden across the lifespan demonstrates the need for policy planning and healthcare provision that caters to autistic individuals at all stages of life,” they wrote in the study, published Thursday in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry.
