Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that’s characterized by restricted, repetitive and inflexible patterns of interests, activities and behavior. Globally, it is estimated that 61.8 million individuals live with this disorder.
Now a new study has highlighted the increase in the prevalence of autism globally, with findings estimating that 1 in 127 individuals are afflicted by the condition. This is quite an increase from previous findings and given that this latest data is from 2021, there’s a possibility the number may be even higher.
The study was carried out by the Global Burden of Diseases, with the researchers arguing that the significant increase wasn’t due to an increase in autism cases but rather improved understanding of the condition and its diagnostic measures. This is demonstrated by the data, which indicates that the wealthiest nations have the highest rate of autism diagnoses.
Worldwide disparities support this theory, with 1 in 63 individuals in Japan being diagnosed with autism, in comparison to 1 in 170 in Bangladesh.
Regions had substantial variations as well, with autism being least prevalent in tropical Latin America and most prevalent in high-income countries in the Asia Pacific region. Men continue to be disproportionately represented worldwide, with an estimated 1 in 94 males being diagnosed with the disorder. This is in comparison to one in one-hundred and ninety-seven women.
This effectively narrows the gender gap, as prior studies had indicated a 4:1 ratio. Similar to ADHD, autism is often missed in girls and women because it manifests differently.
In their report, the researchers explained that these variations revealed differences in access to healthcare, cultural norms, and diagnostic practices instead of true differences in the prevalence of autism. The increased cases may also be associated with diagnostic techniques, with criteria having broadened to include conditions that were previously excluded like Asperger’s syndrome.
The researchers added that this prevalence placed autism in the top ten causes of non-fatal health burdens for people younger than 20, noting that there was need for early detection and customized support systems to address the varied needs of this population throughout their life span.
They also emphasized the need for interventions that went beyond childhood, noting that while the disorder persisted into adulthood, research and services disproportionately focused on children, which left a gap in providing support for autistic adults. This, they noted, would help ensure better access to resources while also improving individual quality of life.
The researchers’ findings were reported in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.
The growing prevalence of autism creates urgency for enterprises like PaxMedica Inc. (OTC: PXMD) to ramp up their R&D programs so that effective treatments for this condition can become readily available around the world.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to PaxMedica Inc. (OTC: PXMD) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/PXMD
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