Survey finds greater autism awareness but more understanding needed
By News England, , , ,

New National Autistic Society (NAS) figures released to coincide with World Autism Awareness Day today show that more people in the UK are aware of autism than ever before. But there’s still a long way to go before autism is understood and people on the spectrum are fully integrated into communities and able to lead the life they choose.

The survey found that:

  • public awareness of autism now stands at over 99% – a 9% increase since 2005
  • 44% of people know someone with autism – a 33% increase since 2005
  • but just 4% have a friend with autism and only 3% have a colleague or classmate with autism
  • and 87% of people affected by autism think the general public do not have a good understanding of autism
  • The National Autistic Society says awareness is not enough; we need more understanding of autism.

The YouGov poll of 2,159 UK adults, commissioned by the NAS, reveals that over 99% of people have heard of autism  and 44% know someone who has the lifelong condition. In contrast, a 2005 survey of 1,000 adults in Britain by nfpSynergy showed that 91% of people had heard of autism and 33% knew someone on the spectrum.

This means that there has been a 9% increase in the number of people who have heard of autism in the past 10 years. But the poll suggests that this has not led to widespread understanding of autism and that people with the condition are still locked out of mainstream society.

For instance, despite previous NAS research showing that the vast majority of people with autism want to have friends and to be in employment, just 4% of those surveyed by YouGov said they had a friend with autism and only 3% said they had a colleague or classmate with autism.

In a separate new NAS survey of people affected by autism in the UK, 52% of respondents said they strongly agree that the general public does not have a good understanding of the condition and a further 35% agree.

This reality conflicts with the more positive and supportive attitudes about autism that the poll suggests:

  • less than 1% think that people with autism can’t work, yet separate NAS research shows that just 15% of adults with autism are in full-time paid employment
  • 31% said they would try to find out more about autism if their colleague had the condition, while 55% said they’d be supportive and 16% said they would expect to receive training from their employer
  • 49% said they would be supportive of a friend’s child diagnosed with autism, though 30% would be anxious for their future.                                                                                                                     

The poll also sheds light on how people first heard of autism, suggesting that the media has a significant role in shaping perceptions:

  • 27% said they first heard of autism by knowing, or knowing of, someone with the condition
  • 19% said they first heard of autism through a documentary, fictional TV programme, film or book
  • 14% said they first heard of autism by word of mouth.

Mark Lever, Chief Executive of The National Autistic Society, said: “World Autism Awareness Day is the most important date in our calendar, the one time each year when the world comes together to think about autism and how we can make the world a better place for people living with the condition.

“It’s remarkable that awareness has increased so much since The NAS was set up over 50 years ago, a time when people with the condition were often written off and hidden from society. But, as our supporters frequently tell us and the poll confirms, there is still a long way to go before autism is fully understood and people with the condition are able to participate fully in their communities. All too often we still hear stories of families experiencing judgemental attitudes or individuals facing isolation or unemployment due to misunderstandings around autism.

“If we’re really going to improve the world for people with autism, we need to move away from focusing on simply raising awareness and ensure we are building understanding of autism and the different ways it can affect people. This has to happen in every sector of society, from health and social care, to culture and the media. Better understanding of autism would improve every part of the life of a person with autism, increasing the chances of an early diagnosis and support, lowering incidents of bullying at school and improving employment prospects.

“Autism can have a profound impact on an individual and their family, but the right understanding and support can make all the difference and ensure that they live full lives as part of their local communities.”