Autism and Physical Health

Autistic people are dying several years earlier than non-autistic people on average and are more likely to have chronic physical health conditions across all organ systems.

In this research programme, we will investigate what factors contribute to these risks of premature mortality, which may include social factors (e.g. lifestyle, trauma), mental health, biological factors (e.g. genetic, hormone-related), and structural barriers (e.g. healthcare access, access to diagnosis, unemployment). We aim to identify the elevated risk of chronic physical conditions that can affect mortality in autistic people, as well as in people with higher numbers of autistic traits, regardless of formal diagnosis.

We will also use complementary epidemiological health records to identify associations and use family-based international datasets to better understand physical health needs.

By leveraging large‑scale datasets from across the globe, we aim to understand how physical health conditions and risk factors vary by sex, age at diagnosis, and by the biological clusters identified in the Autism Stratification Project. The aim is to prevent avoidable premature death through improved screening and better access to support services. Most importantly, this programme aims to ensure that scientific insights feed directly into health policy and clinical practice.