Affordable and stable housing is crucial for improving health throughout a person’s life. For people with disabilities, including autism, housing assistance is often essential. However, data on public housing and health are rarely connected, making it difficult to understand the intersection of housing and health for individuals with autism.

In a recent study published in PLOS One, researchers from Drexel University’s A.J. Drexel Autism Institute explored how many autistic people in the United States received housing support from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and examined their health outcomes.

“The prevalence of autism is increasing amidst a growing national housing crisis,” said Lindsay Shea, DrPH, director of the Policy and Analytics Center at the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute and lead author of the study. “It is vital to understand how housing impacts the experiences and health outcomes of individuals with autism.”

The study found that the number of autistic people receiving housing support grew significantly between 2008 and 2016. Specifically, the number of autistic individuals on Medicaid who enrolled in HUD’s housing assistance programs increased by 70%—from nearly 53,000 to over 88,000. In 2016, 10.4% of the 846,350 autistic Medicaid enrollees (88,315 individuals) were HUD-assisted, with 65% living in highly low-income households.

The research also revealed that HUD-assisted autistic individuals were more likely to be Black/African American and less likely to have private insurance. About 3% of the autistic people enrolled in HUD assistance were homeless at the time of enrollment, marking one of the first pieces of information known to researchers about homelessness rates among autistic people in the United States.

Researchers linked Medicaid data with national HUD data to get a comprehensive view of autistic people’s experiences, highlighting the significant impact of housing on health outcomes. This linkage identified autistic individuals using HUD assistance, providing insights into the challenges they face.

The study emphasized the growing financial hardship within this population, particularly the increase in HUD-assisted autistic individuals and the prevalence of extremely low-income families.

“Interventions to address the social determinants and basic needs of autistic people in low-income households could help alleviate housing instability and related health concerns,” Shea said.

The research team recommends several interventions to reduce homelessness risk among autistic individuals, including:

• Developing support models that connect housing, healthcare, financial support, transportation, and employment services.
• Improving identification and outreach to increase HUD enrollment among autistic adults in need.
• Creating early intervention tools and emergency housing options to prevent homelessness and instability.
• Documenting systemic disparities to guide equitable policy design.
• Addressing racial disparities to improve service access and reduce stressors for Black autistic individuals and others from historically marginalized groups.
• Enhancing urban services and ensuring rural communities have equal access to housing and health services.
• Expanding support for the Housing Choice Voucher program and helping autistic individuals navigate the housing market.
• Increasing access to disability-focused programs like Section 811 and ensuring long-term housing stability.
• Ensuring timely access to linked HUD-Medicaid data to improve research and guide policies.
• Establishing systems to continuously monitor autism prevalence and adapt housing programs accordingly.

This study underscores the importance of connecting housing and health data to better understand and address the needs of autistic individuals, particularly in the face of growing financial hardship and housing instability.