Chinese Researchers Find a Significant Decade-Long Increase in ASD Prevalence
A recent study from researchers at Guangdong Pharmaceutical University has investigated the prevalence and trends of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children and adolescents aged 3–17 years in the United States. Using data from the National Health Interview Survey for 2021 and 2022, the researchers analyzed a sample of 13,198 individuals. They found that the weighted prevalence of ASD was 3.05% in 2021, 3.79% in 2022, and 3.42% overall for the two years combined. Additionally, the study revealed a significant decade-long upward trend in ASD prevalence, even after adjusting for demographic characteristics. These findings highlight the persistent and increasing rates of ASD among young people, emphasizing the necessity for further research to investigate potentially modifiable risk factors and underlying causes of ASD to better address this growing public health concern.
