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Research has demonstrated that autistic individuals have higher rates of police contact, however, research has seldom explored the fundamental reasons for these interactions and how this might vary across international contexts. To remedy this, the Global Autism and Criminal Justice Consortium created and disseminated the Global Criminal Justice Survey. Descriptive statistics of survey respondents with and without police contact were compared to glean differential characteristics. Frequency and type of recent police interactions (within the last 5 years) among autistic individuals were also examined to better contextualize the reasons that autistic individuals encounter police. Study findings indicated that across a global sample (i.e., North America, Scandinavia, Europe, and Oceania) nearly half of all autistic individuals had an interaction with police and that those with a history of police contact were usually older, had higher educational qualifications, and were more likely to have a co-occurring mental health or developmental disorder. Among types of interactions, noncriminal encounters, such as welfare checks, traffic incidents, wandering, and behaviors associated with autism, were most common, followed by autistic individuals alleging a crime was committed against them. These findings offer important directions for future research and for targeted policy responses that can address the unique needs of autistic individuals within the justice system., (© 2024 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Menopause is a normal part of aging and in the general population is associated with chronic conditions that impact health, mortality, and well-being. Menopause is experienced differently by autistic individuals, although no studies have investigated this topic in a large sample. The purpose of this study was to investigate rates of, and factors associated with symptomatic menopause among autistic individuals and to identify the prevalence of co-occurring conditions in symptomatic individuals. We included autistic females aged 35-70 years enrolled for 10 + months in 2014-2016 Medicare and/or Medicaid (n = 26,904), excluding those with gender dysphoria. Those with symptomatic menopause were compared to a non-symptomatic reference group on demographic, enrollment characteristics, and co-occurring conditions through logistic regression. Approximately 4% of publicly-insured autistic females aged 46-70 years had symptomatic menopause in their medical records. Intellectual disability was associated with a lower likelihood of symptomatic menopause, and being Medicare-enrolled or dual-enrolled was associated with higher likelihood of having symptomatic menopause recorded. In adjusted models, rates of ADHD, anxiety and depressive disorders, headache/migraine, altered sensory experiences, altered sexual function, and sleep disturbance were significantly higher in the symptomatic menopause sample compared to the reference group. More work to better support autistic women in discussing menopausal symptoms and co-occurring conditions with primary care providers is needed, particularly among those for whom self-report of symptoms are more challenging to ascertain. Factors associated with specific types of health care coverage warrant greater investigation to support better identification., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The autistic population is rapidly increasing; meanwhile, autistic adults face disproportionate risks for adverse COVID-19 outcomes. Limited research indicates that autistic individuals have been accepting of initial vaccination, but research has yet to document this population's perceptions and acceptance of COVID-19 boosters., Objective: This study aims to identify person-level and community characteristics associated with COVID-19 vaccination and booster acceptance among autistic adults, along with self-reported reasons for their stated preferences. Understanding this information is crucial in supporting this vulnerable population given evolving booster guidelines and the ending of the public health emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: Data are from a survey conducted in Pennsylvania from April 11 to September 12, 2022. Demographic characteristics, COVID-19 experiences, and COVID-19 vaccine decisions were compared across vaccination status groups. Chi-square analyses and 1-way ANOVA were conducted to test for significant differences. Vaccination reasons were ranked by frequency; co-occurrence was identified using phi coefficient correlation plots., Results: Most autistic adults (193/266, 72.6%) intended to receive or received the vaccine and booster, 15% (40/266) did not receive or intend to receive any vaccine, and 12.4% (33/266) received or intended to receive the initial dose but were hesitant to accept booster doses. Reasons for vaccine acceptance or hesitancy varied by demographic factors and COVID-19 experiences. The most significant were previously contracting COVID-19, desire to access information about COVID-19, and discomfort with others not wearing a mask (all P=.001). County-level factors, including population density (P=.02) and percentage of the county that voted for President Biden (P=.001) were also significantly associated with differing vaccination acceptance levels. Reasons for accepting the initial COVID-19 vaccine differed among those who were or were not hesitant to accept a booster. Those who accepted a booster were more likely to endorse protecting others and trusting the vaccine as the basis for their acceptance, whereas those who were hesitant about the booster indicated that their initial vaccine acceptance came from encouragement from someone they trusted. Among the minority of those hesitant to any vaccination, believing that the vaccine was unsafe and would make them feel unwell were the most often reported reasons., Conclusions: Intention to receive or receiving the COVID-19 vaccination and booster was higher among autistic adults than the population that received vaccines in Pennsylvania. Autistic individuals who accepted vaccines prioritized protecting others, while autistic individuals who were vaccine hesitant had safety concerns about vaccines. These findings inform public health opportunities and strategies to further increase vaccination and booster rates among generally accepting autistic adults, to better support the already strained autism services and support system landscape. Vaccination uptake could be improved by leveraging passive information diffusion to combat vaccination misinformation among those not actively seeking COVID-19 information to better alleviate safety concerns., (©Lindsay Shea, Dylan Cooper, Jonas Ventimiglia, Shelby Frisbie, Conner Carlton, Wei Song, Mark Salzer, Brian Lee, Emily Hotez, David J Vanness. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (https://publichealth.jmir.org), 28.08.2024.)

Importance: Youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are more likely to be placed in foster care than other youth. Examining the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of youth with I/DD in the foster care system is critical for identifying disparities and understanding service needs., Objective: To produce a population-level analysis of youth with I/DD in foster care that examines differences in rates of foster care involvement based on race, ethnicity, age, and sex., Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study involved all individuals with I/DD 21 years and younger enrolled in Medicaid through foster care in 2016 via data from Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files (TAF) for all 50 US states and Washington, DC. As a key insurer of I/DD services and foster care, Medicaid claims offer a timely population-level analysis. Youth with I/DD were grouped into diagnostic subgroups: autism spectrum disorder (ASD) only, intellectual disability only, or ASD and ID. The data analysis took place from July 2022 to September 2023., Exposure: TAF data contain Medicaid enrollment information by month with a binary indicator of foster care involvement, and eligibility files identify race, ethnicity, age, and sex., Main Outcomes and Measures: The period prevalence of foster care involvement was determined among I/DD youth by diagnostic subgroups using an intersectional approach across race, ethnicity, age, and sex. Logistic regression examined associations between risk for foster care involvement and race, ethnicity, age, and sex., Results: A total of 39 143 youth with I/DD had foster care involvement in 2016. Black youth (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.37; 95% CI, 1.28-1.47) and females (aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.1-1.27) had increased likelihood for foster care involvement. The likelihood for foster care involvement increased with age in all groups relative to the age group 0 to 5 years old., Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that among youth with I/DD, Black youth and females faced higher risk for foster care involvement, and the likelihood of foster care involvement increased with age. There is an urgent need for research that focuses on addressing system-level factors that drive increased risk. Understanding the specific health needs of Black and female youth with I/DD is critical to ensure the formation, implementation, and monitoring of equitable delivery of health services.