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News
A major U.S. study reveals a stark life expectancy gap for people with autism. Medicaid beneficiaries with autism spectrum disorder lived an average of 64.9 years — nearly 14 years less than the general U.S. population. Researchers say much of this excess mortality is preventable with better primary care, social support, and community-based services.
A large study published in JAMA Network Open has quantified a troubling life expectancy gap for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Analyzing over two million Medicaid beneficiaries with autism across all 50 states from 2000 to 2020, researchers from Columbia University found that autistic individuals lived an average of just 64.9 years — 5.6 years less than other Medicaid beneficiaries and nearly 14 years less than the U.S. general population.
The excess mortality was widespread across disease categories, but was especially pronounced for influenza, malnutrition, pneumonia, and accidental drowning — conditions that researchers say are largely preventable. While life expectancy for autistic Medicaid beneficiaries improved by 1.7 years between 2000–2004 and 2015–2019, the gap persisted, and 2020 saw the sharpest decline — hitting the autistic population hardest.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: This is one of the first studies to quantify life expectancy — not just mortality rates — for autistic Americans, filling a critical data gap. The findings underscore that much of this disparity is avoidable, pointing to an urgent need for targeted interventions in primary care and community support for autistic individuals.
