Autism in Greece: National prevalence and public health implications for children (2019–2022)

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a growing public health concern, with global prevalence rising steadily. Timely and accurate prevalence estimates are critical for planning health, education, and social services. This study presents the first nationwide analysis of crude ASD prevalence and non-pharmacological therapies in Greece over three years (Feb 2019-Feb 2022), providing a foundation for policy and system-level interventions. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed using anonymized administrative data from the Greek National Organization for Healthcare Services Provision (EOPYY). Data included sex, age, ICD-10 diagnosis, and treatment procedures. Statistical and geospatial analysis were conducted in Python using pandas, matplotlib, and geopandas. Results Between February 2019 and February 2022, 18,502 children aged 2-17 years were diagnosed with ASD (14,678 boys and 3,824 girls), yielding an estimated crude prevalence of 1.10% (1.69% in boys and 0.47% in girls). Diagnosis rates were 3.8 times higher in boys. A total of 15,328,327 non-pharmacological therapies were prescribed, 12,298,964 for boys and 3,029,363 for girls, averaging 829 therapies per child (∼276 per year). Regional prevalence exceeded 1% in Crete, Attica, and Central Greece, possibly due to denser population and improved access to diagnostic services. Conclusions The findings highlight significant regional and gender disparities in ASD diagnosis and service provision. They support the urgent need for national strategies to address the educational, healthcare, and social inclusion needs of individuals with ASD. Establishing a national ASD surveillance system would aid in monitoring trends, enabling equitable resource allocation, and reducing inequalities across regions. Key messages • Greece's first nationwide ASD prevalence estimates reveal gender and regional disparities. • A national surveillance system is vital for equitable, data-driven autism policy.