A study by researchers from the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences sheds light on the high prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among autistic adults enrolled in Medicaid and its significant impact on health outcomes.
The study co-authored by Gregory L. Wallace, associate professor in the Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, provides crucial insights into the intersection of autism and ADHD in adulthood. In a cohort of more than 3.5 million adults, Wallace’s team found that co-occurring ADHD was elevated among autistic adults compared with a random national sample. Co-occurring ADHD was associated with worse health outcomes while prescriptions for ADHD medications were generally associated with better health outcomes.
The findings suggest that co-occurring ADHD persists to a greater degree in autistic adults than the general Medicaid-enrolled population and treatment of ADHD may impact health.
Wallace, an expert in neurodevelopmental disorders, played a key role in analyzing the data and interpreting the findings, contributing to a broader understanding of how ADHD affects autistic adults. His work underscores the need for targeted healthcare strategies and policy reforms to better support this population.
Wallace’s research interests focus on neuropsychological and structural brain development in autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders and their impacts on real-world outcomes. His past studies have examined executive functioning profiles and their relationships to academic achievement in children and adaptive functioning in both children and young adults with autism spectrum disorder. He has also investigated eating-related behaviors and their cognitive and neural correlates in typical and atypical development, like autism spectrum disorder.
In addition to confirming that ADHD is far more common in autistic adults compared to the general population, the new research revealed that co-occurring ADHD is associated with higher rates of substance use, cardiovascular conditions and injury. However, it found that ADHD medication prescriptions were linked to improved health outcomes, suggesting that better access to treatment could mitigate some of these risks.
The research “ADHD Prevalence, Treatment and Outcomes in Medicaid-Enrolled Autistic Adults” was published in Jama Network Open.