Time trends in autism diagnoses over 20 years: a UK population-based cohort study

First published: August 19, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13505

Commentary

Autism spectrum disorders are said to be on the rise, but previous studies have reported conflicting results on whether diagnosis rates are continuing to increase in the UK.

The study looked at whether the percentage of people with an autism diagnosis, both overall and by subgroup, had increased over a 20-year period.

The results showed that between 1998 and 2018, the incidence of recorded autism diagnoses increased exponentially, by 787%.

The increase in diagnoses is greater for females than for males, moderated by age group, with the largest increase in the incidence of diagnoses identified in adults.

The actual increase could be due to increased prevalence and increased reporting and coverage of diagnoses.

The rise in diagnoses among adults, women, and high-functioning individuals suggests that heightened awareness is underpinning these changes.