Health conditions and service use of autistic women and men: A retrospective population-based case-control study.

This large study looked at health records in Ontario, Canada to compare the health and healthcare use of autistic adults with other groups. Autistic adults had more health problems and used more mental health services than adults without disabilities. Between autistic women and men, there were differences in certain health conditions and how often they visited doctors or emergency departments.

This retrospective population-based case-control study analyzed administrative data from Ontario, Canada to examine health conditions and service utilization among autistic women and men compared to adults with other developmental disabilities and those without developmental disabilities. The study found that autistic adults had higher rates of physical and mental health conditions compared to adults without developmental disabilities, with particularly elevated psychiatric service use. When comparing within the autism group, sex differences emerged in specific conditions including Crohn's disease/colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and various psychiatric disorders, as well as differences in healthcare service utilization patterns including emergency department visits and specialist consultations.

Results emphasize urgent need for improved mental health support systems for autistic adults. Healthcare providers should screen for sex-specific conditions and tailor service delivery accordingly. Healthcare systems require capacity building to address elevated service utilization needs of autistic populations.

Sample size not reported. Retrospective design limits causal inferences. Administrative data may underestimate conditions not requiring medical attention. Single jurisdiction (Ontario) may limit generalizability. Unclear methodology details affect assessment of study quality and potential biases.

This study used administrative data from Ontario, Canada to compare the health conditions and service use of autistic women and men with adults with other developmental disabilities and with adults without developmental disabilities. Autistic women and men were more likely to have physical and mental health conditions compared to adults without developmental disabilities. Rates of health conditions were similar or lower among autistic adults compared to adults with other developmental disabilities, except more autistic adults had psychiatric conditions. Autistic women and men used higher rates of psychiatric services compared to all other groups.

When comparing autistic women with same aged autistic men, sex differences were found for specific physical (Crohn's disease/colitis, rheumatoid arthritis) and psychiatric conditions (psychotic disorders, non-psychotic disorders), as well differences in service use (emergency department visits, hospitalizations, family doctor and neurologist visits). These results further highlight the high health needs and service use of autistic women and men, as well as adults with other developmental disabilities. It is critical for future research to focus on mental health support for autistic adults and to better understand how to tailor supports to best serve autistic women.