Title: The Impact of Healthcare Providers' Gendered and Demographic Assumptions on Autism Diagnoses and Mental Health in Women

Author: Halee Yue, Priyanka Sigar, Hilary Wu 

AOC: Medical Education Leadership and Scholarship 

Key words: autism, women, mental health

Autistic women face distinct and often overlooked mental health challenges. Although they display core autistic traits similar to autistic men, they are more likely to receive psychiatric diagnoses and to report higher levels of psychological distress. This disparity is closely tied to the persistent assumption that autism is a predominantly male condition. Because autistic women often present with subtler social difficulties than autistic men and may camouflage or mask their autistic traits to conform to societal expectations, autistic women often experience disbelief and dismissal from healthcare professionals, leading to delays in autism diagnoses or misdiagnoses, and robbing autistic women of the support and services they deserve. In addition, autistic women who belong to racially, socioeconomically, or geographically marginalized communities face even greater disparities in diagnosis and access to mental health care. 

Despite increased awareness of how demographic factors influence autism diagnosis and mental health, most research has focused on children and has been conducted outside the U.S., leaving a critical gap in understanding the experiences of autistic adult women within American healthcare systems. This study seeks to address that gap. Using an online survey distributed through regional centers, LEND and UCEDD clinics, and autism advocacy organizations, we will collect data on demographics, diagnostic history, mental health conditions, and experiences with healthcare providers of autistic adults (ages 18-30) in the United States. We hypothesize that autistic women will be underdiagnosed compared to men, but will report higher rates of depression and anxiety; that women from marginalized backgrounds will face compounded mental health challenges; and that healthcare provider bias will be more frequently reported by autistic women and linked to worsened mental health outcomes. By highlighting these disparities, this research aims to inform more equitable diagnostic pathways and improve provider training, ultimately supporting the well-being of autistic women in the U.S.