Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) In Reunion Island: Relationship between Social and Economic Conditions and ASD Intensity.

Introduction: Autism includes a spectrum of various disorders, evolving differently from one subject to another, according to identified individual factors and not very well-known environmental ones. Existing longitudinal studies research the influence of therapeutic interventions. Our study aims to find a relationship between the intensity of the disorder and the social and economic environment of the child.

Methods: Our cross-sectional and analytical study was based on a prospective sociometric survey with parents of children aged from 5 to 12 years old, diagnosed with ASD at CRA Réunion/Mayotte from 2007 to 2017. The results were related to the retrospective evaluation data (ADOS, language level, and intelligence quotient).

Results: A total of 97 parents answered the survey. The results confirmed that autism affects all social classes. They showed a significant relationship between the intensity of the disorder and the level of education and the socio professional category of the father, but none concerning the mother. A significant link with the household’s average income level was also revealed. Thus, the higher the income level of the household, the lower the intellectual and language deficit, and the lower the score obtained at ADOS.

Conclusion: This study suggests the influence of social and economic factors on the intensity of autism, with a more intense intellectual and language deficit among disadvantaged social categories. However, our study was geographically restricted to a single department (Reunion Island), and to a limited number of 97 parental responses. These results motivate other studies or large-scale follow-up to confirm or refute this influence of the social and economic environment. Our results raise the issue of social inequalities in health and accessibility to care that may influence the national policy of care for autism.