Burden and inequality of autism spectrum disorders in global, East asian, and Southeast Asian regions, 1990–2021: result from the global burden of disease study 2021

The burden of ASD in East and Southeast Asia continues to increase year by year. High-SDI countries tend to report a greater disease burden. From 1990 to 2021, nearly all countries in the region experienced a continuous rise in ASD burden. Although there is a growing trend of ASD incidence shifting toward low-SDI countries, prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) remain predominantly concentrated in high-SDI countries. Finally, the global burden of ASD among both males and females is projected to continue rising through 2050.