Statistics about Autism

About statistics: This page presents a variety of statistics about Autism. The term 'prevalence' of Autism usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Autism at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Autism refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Autism diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.

Prevalence and incidence statistics for Autism: (see also prevalence and incidence page for Autism)
  Prevalance of Autism: 1 in 500 to 1 in 2,500 (NIMH); 1-in-1000 to 2-in-1000, depending on diagnostic criteria
  Prevalance Rate: approx 1 in 500 or 0.20% or 544,000 people in USA [about data]
  Incidence (annual) of Autism: 3,000 new cases in the USA 2001 (BBC News, 2002)
  Incidence Rate: approx 1 in 90,666 or 0.00% or 3,000 people in USA [about data]
  Prevalance of Autism: Autism affects an estimated 10 to 20 of every 10,000 people, depending on the diagnostic criteria used. Most estimates that include people with similar disorders are two to three times greater. ¹ ... Autism affects an estimated 10 to 20 of every 10,000 people, depending on diagnostic criteria used, and strikes males about four times more often than females. ² ... Emerging in childhood, it affects about 1 or 2 people in every thousand and is three to four times more common in boys than girls.³
  Prevelance statistics about Autism: The following statistics relate to the prevalence of Autism:

Autism is four times more prevalent in boys than girls in the US (Autism Society of America)
Prevalence of autism is expected to reach 4 million people in the next decade in the US (Autism Society of America)

Incidence statistics about Autism: The following statistics relate to the incidence of Autism:

200-300 new cases in the USA in the 1970’s (BBC News, 2002)
The rate of incidence of autism is increasing 10-17% per year in the US (Autism Society of America)

Society statistics for Autism
  Costs for Autism: more than $3 billion each year in health and educational services (NIMH)
  Costs for Autism: In addition to loss of personal potential, the cost of health and educational services to those affected exceeds $3 billion each year.³
  Hospitalization statistics for Autism: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Autism:

0.006% (750) of hospital consultant episodes were for childhood autism in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
97% of hospital consultant episodes for childhood autism required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
68% of hospital consultant episodes for childhood autism were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
32% of hospital consultant episodes for childhood autism were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
19% of hospital consultant episodes for childhood autism required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
18.9 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for childhood autism in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
1 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for childhood autism in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
9 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for childhood autism in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
32% of hospital consultant episodes for childhood autism occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0% of hospital consultant episodes for childhood autism occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0% of hospital consultant episodes for childhood autism were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0.008% (4,450) of hospital bed days were for childhood autism in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0.001% (145) of hospital consultant episodes were for atypical autism in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
97% of hospital consultant episodes for atypical autism required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
68% of hospital consultant episodes for atypical autism were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
32% of hospital consultant episodes for atypical autism were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
19% of hospital consultant episodes for atypical autism required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
83.5 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for atypical autism in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
2 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for atypical autism in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
17 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for atypical autism in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
32% of hospital consultant episodes for atypical autism occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0% of hospital consultant episodes for atypical autism occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0% of hospital consultant episodes for atypical autism were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0.004% (1,962) of hospital bed days were for atypical autism in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)

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Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Autism Fact Sheet: NINDS
2. excerpt from NINDS Autism Information Page: NINDS
3. excerpt from Autism: NIMH

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