ASD, SUD and gender

Abstract

Introduction

Autism and substance use disorder (SUD) is not the co-morbidity that is commonly considered. Yet these conditions have more commonalities than one would suspect.

Objective

We will consider the evidence for co-morbidity between ASD and Addiction (Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and explore the influence of gender.

Method

A pilot study of 80 admissions to an adult ASD unit will be presented.

Results

The co-morbidity ASD and SUD in this study was very high (65% of the inpatients). There were no gender differences in prevalence in total but addiction to medication (32% in woman vs. none in man) and eating disorders (24% in women vs. 9% in man) was far more common in women whereas addiction to drugs (13% in man vs. none in women) was far more common in man.

Conclusions

There are clear indications that a possible co-morbidity of substance abuse disorder should be considered in cases of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. There are no gender differences in prevalence of co-morbidity ASD and SUD in total but addiction to medication and eating disorders seems to be much more common in women whereas addiction to drugs probably more common in man.

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.