August 21, 2023
- A recent Canadian population-based study found that individuals with autism have higher rates of self-harm events leading to emergency health care and suicide death than people without the disorder, for both males and females. Females on the spectrum showed the highest cumulative self-harm events, followed by males with autism, neurotypical females, and neurotypical males. Males on the spectrum had the highest incidence of suicide death, followed by females with autism, neurotypical males, and neurotypical females. After accounting for various factors, autism diagnosis was still independently associated with increased self-harm risks, with an 83% increase among females and a 47% increase among males. However, the increased suicide death risks for both sexes were explained by psychiatric diagnoses, whereas intellectual disabilities reduced the risks.
- Recent research from Drexel University’s A.J. Drexel Autism Institute has revealed that from 2008-2016, nearly two million adults with autism, or 99% of those who needed employment services, did not receive support through Medicaid or Vocational Rehabilitation Administration. This study compared the distribution of employment services among individuals with autism to those with intellectual disability. Across both programs, the research team estimated that only 1.1% of working-age autistic adults who potentially need employment services are receiving them. Unfortunately, the research showed that even when services are available, the road to getting assistance is often challenging to navigate, preventing people from achieving their potential and trapping them in a life of forced poverty and increased healthcare costs. As a result, the research team suggests there is a dire need for policy changes to improve the employment services systems in the US.
- Dr. James Adams and his research team have released a new Frequently Asked Questions document for Microbiota Transplant Therapy (MTT). The paper covers every aspect of MTT, from how the therapy is administered to the latest study results. Dr. Adams recently launched a new company called Gut-Brain Axis Therapeutics Inc., which will raise funds for the final stages of MTT research to achieve FDA approval.
- According to a new article, the majority of states in the US are facing a shortage of special education staff. New data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that 42 states and Washington, D.C. have fewer special education teachers than schools require, with only eight states having enough. While the situation has slightly improved since last year, the lack of special educators still negatively impacts students with disabilities. Enrollment in special education classes has risen by 800,000 over the previous decade, while millions of teachers are due to retire in the next ten years. Advocacy groups are urging Congress to invest in programs to train new special education personnel to address the issue.
