Mental Health Hospitalizations Common in Adults With Autism
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, July 23, 2025 -- Mental health hospitalizations are more common among adults with autism, with more than one-third of all admissions tied to mental health conditions for those with autism, according to a study published in the June issue of Research in Autism.
Using the National Readmission Database (2019), Jessica E. Rast, Ph.D., from the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University in Philadelphia, and colleagues estimated U.S. national rates of mental health hospitalization (MHH) and 30-day all-cause readmission among adults with autism, intellectual disability (ID), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and other mental health conditions.
The researchers found that more than one-third (36 percent) of all admissions for adults with autism in 2019 were MHHs, with schizophrenia the most common reason. Among all index MHHs in adults with autism, 17 percent had a 30-day all-cause readmission. In adults with autism and ID, readmissions were more common than in adults with autism without ID (25 versus 15 percent). Readmission was also slightly more common in female adults with autism versus male adults with autism (20 versus 16 percent; odds ratio, 1.30). Having schizophrenia with an initial admission was associated with increased odds of readmission for all groups (odds ratio, 1.37).
"The identification of such high rates of both mental health hospitalizations and readmissions should be an impetus for more research into improving the systems that currently mis-serve autistic people with mental health concerns," said Rast in a statement.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2025
Read this next
Alopecia Areata Associated With Severe Psychosocial Impact
THURSDAY, July 24, 2025 -- Alopecia areata (AA) has a severe psychosocial impact, which is linked to illness perceptions and stigma more strongly than disease severity, according...
Few School Principals Report District-Mandated Mental Health Screening
THURSDAY, July 24, 2025 -- Few school principals report district-mandated mental health screening in schools, according to a study published online July 18 in JAMA Network...
Cancer Anxiety Impacts Family Members of Those Diagnosed With Cancer
WEDNESDAY, July 23, 2025 -- A cancer diagnosis places an emotional burden on the loved ones of those diagnosed, according to the results of a survey released by the Ohio State...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.