ВойтиStudy on autism in Brazil highlights limited access to diagnosis
Published by Institute Autismos, the study surveyed people with autism and their caregivers across all Brazilian states with the aim of identifying the profile of Brazilians with autism and the services to which they have access.
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The data show that, even though about a quarter of the Brazilian population has access to health insurance, only 20.4 percent of those surveyed reported having received a confirmed diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through the national health care network, the SUS.The study also indicates that only 15.5 percent of respondents said they receive therapy through the public health system, while more than 60 percent reported using health insurance plans or paying privately to access the service.
In a statement, the institute says that the issue is even more widespread.
“The results of Brazil’s Autism Map also reveal that 56.5 percent of respondents (including those using the SUS and the private sector) reported that the autistic person in question (the respondent themselves or the person under their care) receives up to two hours of therapy per week, which falls short of international recommendations – which call for multidisciplinary therapies and a high weekly workload.”
Analysis
In May 2025, Brazil’s statistics bureau IBGE for the first time released data from the 2022 census which identified 2.4 million people with ASD in Brazil – 1.2 percent of the Brazilian population.
“Unlike the census, Brazil’s Autism Map conducts a socioeconomic analysis and gauges access to services for people with autism and their caregivers, contributing to an evaluation of the current landscape and highlighting the need for improvements in public policies,” the institute noted.
Diagnosis
Brazil’s Autism Map reveals difficulties in accessing ASD diagnosis through the SUS as well as delays in diagnosis in general, which hinders early interventions.
The results indicate a concentration of diagnoses in the age group up to four years (51.7%), followed by 5–9-year-olds (17.1%) and 10–14-year-olds (6.1%).
“The difference between the median (four years) and the mean (11 years) reveals that, although most diagnoses occur early, there is still a significant number of diagnoses made at older ages, which raise the sample’s mean,” the institute warned.
The study also found that the first signs of ASD are most often noticed by close family members (55.9%) or by the autistic person themselves (11.4%), while doctors and teachers identified the first signs in only 7.3 and 9.4 percent of cases respectively.
According to the study, neurologists or pediatric neurologists were responsible for the diagnosis in 67 percent of cases, followed by psychiatrists (22.9%), which, according to the institute, highlights the need for access to specialists, who are not always available publicly or even privately in some areas.
The data show that 55.2 percent of diagnoses were made in the private healthcare system, 23 percent through health insurance plans, and only 20.4 percent through the SUS, with proportions varying across different regions of Brazil – the study indicates greater reliance on the SUS for diagnosis in the North and Northeast.
School and adult life
The results also provide a snapshot of access to education. Of the total, 83.7 percent reported attending an educational institution, with 52.26 percent attending public schools and 31 percent attending private schools, while 16 percent said they did not attend any institution.
Regarding accessibility and inclusion resources, 39.9 percent reported receiving no support whatsoever. Among the most common forms of support are social educators, monitors, or tutors (23.8%), specialized support such as school mediators or therapeutic assistants (18.8%), pedagogical adaptations (18.8%), and resource rooms (18.1%).
“The data show that school attendance alone does not guarantee effective inclusion. The high proportion of students without basic support suggests weaknesses in the implementation of inclusive education policies and inequality in access to educational resources stipulated by law,” the institute reported.
Among those aged 18 to 76, 29.9 percent of autistic respondents reported being unemployed or without income, which, according to the institute, highlights a structural challenge to inclusion.
Among those who reported being employed, 21.1 percent work as civil servants, 20 percent have formal employment, 8.1 percent are self-employed, 6.7 percent operate as legal entities, and 5.9 percent work informally.
Additionally, 4.1 percent rely on government assistance, 3.5 percent receive a retirement or disability pension, and 0.35 percent are in the military.
