Autism Diagnosis Rates Equalize by Adulthood

A large study from Sweden, published by The BMJ, suggests that autism may occur at similar rates in males and females, challenging the traditional view that it primarily affects males. The research analyzed national health records of 2.7 million individuals born in Sweden between 1985 and 2022, following them for up to 37 years. The study found that while males are more likely to be diagnosed during childhood, females show a strong increase in diagnoses during adolescence, with the male to female ratio approaching 1:1 by age 20. This trend highlights the urgent need to understand why females are often diagnosed later than males and suggests that the male to female ratio for Autism may be substantially lower than previously thought, potentially equalizing by adulthood in Sweden. Patient advocate Anne Cary emphasized that these findings support concerns about gaps in current diagnostic practices for autistic female individuals.