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Analysis predicts autism costs will reach nearly $500 billion by 2025

If autism prevalence continues to increase at its current pace, costs associated with autism may far exceed those of diabetes and ADHD by 2025, according to study findings in the Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders.

“The study utilized a systemic approach to economic forecasting in order to get a clear, comprehensive fiscal picture of the medical, nonmedical and productivity losses related to autism,” J. Paul Leigh, PhD, of the University of California, Davis, told Healio.com/Psychiatry. “We made use of data from sources such as the U.S. CDC and the Bureau of Labor Statistics as well as outcomes from autism research published in peer-reviewed journals. We also used the best available information on population changes and autism prevalence, as well as the different levels of services necessary for people with autism across their lifespans and based on the severity of the condition.”

J. Paul Leigh

Based on their analysis, researchers predict the economic burden of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will be $268.3 billion in 2015 and $460.8 billion in 2025, representing 1.5% and 1.6% of the gross domestic product (GDP), respectively.

These estimates range from $161.6 billion to $367.3 billion (0.9% to 2% of GDP) in 2015 and from $275.6 billion to $1,010.6 billion (1% to 3.6% of GDP) in 2025.

“Autism is a major public-health concern due to its increasing prevalence. We truly hope our findings are an immediate call to action to make the behavioral interventions that are known to work for reducing the symptoms of autism more widely accessible and to fund additional research on the causes of autism and ways to prevent it. Doing so will help reduce the growth curve in the costs of caring for those with autism,” Leigh said. – by Amanda Oldt

Disclosure: Leigh reports partial support from Autism Speaks and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.