The average life expectancy at birth for people with autism is 64.9 years — nearly 14 years less than the U.S. average and almost six years less than other Medicaid enrollees, according to a study of Medicaid data reported by Gizmodo and cited by infohub.kz.
Researchers from Columbia University and the University of Colorado Anschutz analyzed the medical records of more than two million patients with autism. The gap with the overall U.S. population was 13.8 years.
The authors emphasize that largely preventable causes account for most of the premature deaths. People with autism are more likely to die from influenza, pneumonia, wasting or drowning.
Lifelong challenges and limited access to primary care significantly increase everyday health risks for them, the researchers note.
The experts hope their findings will help shift the focus from studying the biology of autism to actually improving patients' quality of life. Expanding home support programs and ensuring access to basic vaccination could substantially reduce mortality.