A groundbreaking study conducted by the University of Cambridge reveals that individuals with autism are more susceptible to a variety of chronic physical health conditions, emphasizing the need for enhanced clinical care for autistic people.
This study, published in Molecular Autism, broadens the understanding of the health vulnerabilities in autistic individuals, showcasing the presence of health issues across various organ systems.
Autistic Individuals and Health Risks
Historically, autistic people were primarily associated with specific conditions such as gastrointestinal issues, epilepsy, and sleep problems.
However, this new research delves into a broader range of health risks and illustrates that autistic individuals are more likely to experience various physical health conditions across all organ systems including the brain, gastrointestinal, and endocrine system compared to non-autistic individuals.
Dr. Elizabeth Weir, who led the research team at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge, stressed the importance of understanding the multifactorial causes behind the increased health risks seen in autistic individuals, noting the existence of “physical health multimorbidity,” where individuals experience two or more physical health conditions concurrently.
Insights from the Study
The study compared the experiences of 1,129 autistic people with 1,176 non-autistic people, aged 16-90 years, through an anonymous, self-report survey.
The majority of the participants were from the UK, and the survey explored the risk of 60 physical health conditions across nine organ systems.
Autistic individuals were found to have higher rates of diagnosed medical conditions in all tested organ systems compared to their non-autistic counterparts.
The specific conditions included but were not limited to celiac disease, endometriosis, urinary incontinence, eczema, and iron deficiency anemia.
Health Care Needs and Systems
Dr. John Ward emphasized that the healthcare needs of autistic people exceed those of non-autistic people, requiring early identification and monitoring of chronic conditions.
The need for adapting health care systems to meet the diverse needs of autistic people is paramount, as the study also replicates previous findings, confirming higher rates of central sensitivity syndromes in autistic people.
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The research findings can be found in Molecular Autism.
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