Autistic people are dying up to 16 years earlier – and I’ve seen why (9 May 2024)

Summary

Journalist Jessie Hewitson has two children with autism and has first hand experience of the difficulties autistic people face when accessing healthcare. In this inews article, she looks at the shocking statistic that autistic people die between 6 and 16 years earlier than the rest of the population and suggests that many small interactions and obstacles contribute to poorer outcomes. She highlights three key factors that contribute to health inequalities for autistic people: communication difficulties, anxiety about phoning the GP and difficulties with interoception—the ability to know and respond appropriately to your bodies signals.