Autism Linked to 14-Year Life Expectancy Gap, U.S. Study Finds

A newly published U.S. study has identified a substantial gap in life expectancy among individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Researchers reported that, on average, autistic people covered by Medicaid lived 13.8 years less than the general population in the United States.

Methodology and data scope

The research team included scientists from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Their findings appeared in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Network Open. The analysis drew on Medicaid enrollment and mortality records for more than two million autistic individuals across all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia between 2000 and 2020. During that period, 18,268 deaths were recorded within this cohort.

Life expectancy figures and trends

For autistic Medicaid beneficiaries, the average life expectancy at birth was calculated at 64.9 years. That figure stands 5.6 years below the average for all Medicaid enrollees and 13.8 years below the national average for the U.S. general population. Although life expectancy for this group rose from 63.9 years during 2000–2004 to 65.6 years during 2015–2019, the disparity relative to both other Medicaid recipients and the broader population persisted throughout the two-decade observation window.

Cause-specific mortality risks

The study documented a 44% higher mortality rate among autistic Medicaid beneficiaries compared to non-autistic beneficiaries enrolled in the same program. Elevated death risks were observed across multiple conditions, particularly influenza, malnutrition, pneumonia, and drowning. Female autistic individuals exhibited a larger life expectancy gap relative to the general population than their male counterparts — a difference largely attributed to higher rates of co-occurring mental health disorders and associated excess mortality.

Expert interpretation and implications

Dr. Guohua Li, Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health, noted that increased mortality risk among autistic individuals has been observed since the late 1980s. However, precise life expectancy estimates remained unavailable until now due to limited age-specific mortality data. Dr. Li emphasized that a substantial proportion of these excess deaths is preventable through strengthened social support systems, improved primary care access, and expanded home- and community-based services. He stated the results underscore the urgency of addressing health inequities experienced by autistic people.