Co-occurring SUD and Autism Diagnoses: A Growing Challenge
By Ashleigh Hollowell | September 18, 2026
Patients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are emerging as a high-risk subgroup linked to increasing rates of substance use disorders (SUDs), higher overdose risks, and higher hospitalization rates, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania.
Prevalence on the Rise
The prevalence of this overlap has shot up dramatically, but states still often treat SUD services separately for patients with autism. Between 2012 and 2016, patients with autism who also had an SUD diagnosis grew from 1.5% to 7% of patients with autism.
However, a concerning trend revealed by the study was that patients with both diagnoses were three times less likely to receive medication-assisted treatment (MAT) compared to their neurotypical peers.
“As there is a lack of evidence whether MAT medications are effective and safe for people with ASD, further research should address this gap,” researchers noted.** If results support MAT use for autistic SUD patients, further studies should examine effective ways to increase the use of this and other strongly evidenced SUD treatments in this population.”
Overdose and Hospitalization Rates
For their study, researchers compared 50,000 Medicaid claims between 2016 and 2020 for patients with autism and SUDs against a control group of only SUD claims. They found:
- Overdoses: 13% experienced an overdose in the last four years, compared to 9% of neurotypical patients with an addiction.
- Hospitalizations: 49% required hospitalization for their condition during the same period, compared to just 29% of patients with only an SUD in the control group.
The study also revealed that patients with autism and SUDs tend to abuse benzodiazepines twice as often as neurotypical patients with an SUD, potentially contributing to concurrent benzodiazepine and opioid use – further driving up overdose rates and hospitalizations among autism patients.