A comparison of the epidemiological factors and burden of autism spectrum disorders worldwide and in China

Objective: This study uses disability-adjusted life years to examine global and Chinese autism burden trends by year, age, gender, area, socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioral factors. Methods We analyzed ASD burden using 1990–2019 prevalence and DALYs. The Global Burden of Disease 2019 database provided global and national epidemiological data. Socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioral characteristics were correlated with age-standardized DALYs using linear regression. Results ASD DALYs increased by 39% globally and 14% in China from 1990 to 2019. The global ASD peak age for both men and women is 5, with numerous peaks of increasing tendencies in China at 5, 30, and 50 years. DALYs, incidence, and prevalence are 3–4 times higher in men. China had the most DALYs in 2019, and the UK had the most age-standardized. Countries differed in how ASD affected health. Socioeconomic factors considerably influenced age-standardized DALYs (GDP per capita, R2 = 0.305; HDI, R2 = 0.287; Health expenditure (% of GDP), R2 = 0.088; p < 0.05). ASD-related age-standardized DALYs were positively connected with per capita alcohol intake, negatively correlated with PM2.5, and insignificantly correlated with cigarette use prevalence. Conclusions Over the last 30 years, the health impact of ASD has steadily risen. It caused significant health loss, particularly for preschool children in households with a drinking habit from a higher socioeconomic level country.