The Mental and Physical Health Profiles of Older Adults Who Endorse Elevated Autistic Traits.
The Mental and Physical Health Profiles of Older Adults Who Endorse Elevated Autistic Traits.
复制标题
支持高自闭症特征的老年人的心理和身体健康状况。
DOI：
10.1093/geronb/gbaa112
复制
发表时间：
2021
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Stewart GR
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Stewart GR
目的研究自闭症患者在青春期和成年期的心理和身体健康状况，大多数情况下都有较高的发病率。然而，很少有人对自闭症特征和老年人进行维度研究。方法来自PROTECT研究的20,220名年龄在50-81岁之间的成年人报告了他们是否经历了自闭症的持续社会交际特征。大约有1%，276人，在儿童时期被确定为自闭症特征升高的人群，现在被称为“自闭症谱系特征”（AST）组。一个年龄和性别匹配的对照组由10495人组成，这些人没有任何自闭症行为特征，因此被称为“控制老年人”（COA）组。探讨AST组和COA组在自我报告的精神诊断、自我报告的当前抑郁和焦虑症状以及自我报告的身体健康诊断方面的差异。研究人员还研究了整个样本中自闭症特征与健康之间的关系。结果与COA组相比，AST组报告的精神病学诊断率显著升高。此外，AST组的自我报告当前抑郁和焦虑症状明显高于COA组。然而，在个体身体健康状况方面几乎没有观察到差异，并且在两组之间共发生的身体诊断方面没有差异。在整个样本中，自闭症特征和健康之间也发现了类似的联系。讨论这些发现表明，具有较高自闭症特征的老年人在以后的生活中，精神健康状况较差的风险更大，而不是身体健康状况。未来的研究应纳入多基因评分，以阐明自闭症/高自闭症特征倾向与精神疾病之间可能的遗传联系，并探讨自闭症特征高的人是否在精神卫生保健方面遇到特殊障碍。
ObjectivesThe mental and physical health profile of autistic people has been studied in adolescence and adulthood, with elevated rates of most conditions being reported. However, this has been little studied taking a dimensional approach to autistic traits and in older age.MethodsA total of 20,220 adults aged 50–81 years from the PROTECT study reported whether they experienced persistent sociocommunicative traits characteristic of autism. Approximately 1%, 276 individuals, were identified as endorsing elevated autistic traits in childhood and currently, henceforth the “Autism Spectrum Trait” (AST) group. An age- and gender-matched comparison group was formed of 10,495 individuals who did not endorse any autistic behavioral traits, henceforth the “Control Older Adults” (COA) group. Differences between AST and COA groups were explored in self-reported psychiatric diagnoses, self-reported symptoms of current depression and anxiety, and self-reported physical health diagnoses. Associations were also examined between autistic traits and health across the whole sample.ResultsThe AST group reported significantly elevated rates of psychiatric diagnoses compared to the COA group. Additionally, the AST group showed significantly higher self-reported symptoms of current depression and anxiety than the COA group. However, few differences were observed in individual physical health conditions, and no differences in total co-occurring physical diagnoses between groups. Similar associations between autistic traits and health were also found taking a dimensional approach across the whole sample.DiscussionThese findings suggest that older adults with elevated autistic traits may be at greater risk of poorer mental, but not physical, health in later life. Future studies should incorporate polygenic scores to elucidate the possible genetic links between the propensity to autism/high autistic traits and to psychiatric conditions, and to explore whether those with elevated autistic traits experience particular barriers to mental health care.