Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2026 Jun 1;29:e260025. doi: 10.1590/1980-549720260025. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence, incidence, and years lived with disability due to autism spectrum disorder in Brazil, as well as the variation of these metrics between 1990 and 2023.
METHODS: A time-series analysis using data for Brazil from the 2023 Global Burden of Disease study. Estimates of incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability attributable to autism spectrum disorder were generated for Brazil and its regions. The study reports absolute frequencies, crude rates, and age-standardized rates per 100,000 inhabitants, all with 95% uncertainty intervals (95% UI), stratified by sex and age group.
RESULTS: In 2023, more than 1.1 million (95% UI: 0.58; 1.97) individuals on the autism spectrum were living in Brazil, representing 0.53% of the population (95% UI: 0.27; 0.93). The number of cases increased since 1990, while age-standardized prevalence remained stable over time. In 2023, more than 23,000 new autism spectrum disorder cases were estimated, with a rate of 11.19 per 100,000 individuals (95% UI: 2.47-31.39). Autism spectrum disorder was ranked within the top ten causes of years lived with disability for people younger than 20 years, being a non-fatal health burden.
CONCLUSION: In 2023, 0.53% of Brazilians were autistic, corresponding to more than 207,000 years lived with disability. Prevalence was higher in males and children under five years of age. The permanent and complex nature of autism spectrum disorder imposes a significant burden, requiring healthcare and education services to be adequately prepared. Further research is needed to deepen the understanding of autism spectrum disorder and validate screening tools in the Brazilian context.
PMID:42585532 | DOI:10.1590/1980-549720260025
