Scotland: Population characteristics
Scotland's population size is 5,295,403
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- Learning disabilities
- Autism
Scotland's Census, 2011, reported 31,712 people who are known to have autism (24,490 males and 7,222 females), which is 0.6% of Scotland's population. Of children aged 0-15 years, 17,348 were reported to have autism, which is 1.9% at this age range. The proportion known to have autism falls progressively with each older age cohort, reflecting the substantial improvements Scotland has made in diagnostic services in recent decades.
Scotland's policy makers, and local health, social, and education commissioners and providers, have to make plans for the whole of Scotland, and for each locality, to support the needs of people with autism. It is therefore important that detailed breakdowns of population characteristics are available.
Population by age and gender
| All people | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Female | Male | Total |
| 0-15 | 447,225 | 469,106 | 916,331 |
| 16-24 | 315,605 | 316,883 | 632,488 |
| 25-34 | 338,720 | 328,607 | 667,327 |
| 35-44 | 377,084 | 357,670 | 734,754 |
| 45-54 | 402,239 | 384,517 | 786,756 |
| 55-64 | 340,491 | 326,922 | 667,413 |
| 65-74 | 256,430 | 225,362 | 481,792 |
| 75+ | 250,165 | 158,377 | 408,542 |
| All ages | 2,727,959 | 2,567,444 | 5,295,403 |
| People known to have autism | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | Male | Total | |||
| 3,507 | 0.8% | 13,841 | 3.0% | 17,348 | 1.9% |
| 1,676 | 0.5% | 6,039 | 1.9% | 7,715 | 1.2% |
| 636 | 0.2% | 1,753 | 0.5% | 2,389 | 0.4% |
| 471 | 0.1% | 1,117 | 0.3% | 1,588 | 0.2% |
| 377 | 0.1% | 890 | 0.2% | 1,267 | 0.2% |
| 233 | 0.1% | 474 | 0.1% | 707 | 0.1% |
| 147 | 0.1% | 223 | 0.1% | 370 | 0.1% |
| 175 | 0.1% | 153 | 0.1% | 328 | 0.1% |
| 7,222 | 0.3% | 24,490 | 1.0% | 31,712 | 0.6% |
| People known to have autism | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Female | Male | Total | |||
| 0-15 | 3,507 | 0.8% | 13,841 | 3.0% | 17,348 | 1.9% |
| 16-24 | 1,676 | 0.5% | 6,039 | 1.9% | 7,715 | 1.2% |
| 25-34 | 636 | 0.2% | 1,753 | 0.5% | 2,389 | 0.4% |
| 35-44 | 471 | 0.1% | 1,117 | 0.3% | 1,588 | 0.2% |
| 45-54 | 377 | 0.1% | 890 | 0.2% | 1,267 | 0.2% |
| 55-64 | 233 | 0.1% | 474 | 0.1% | 707 | 0.1% |
| 65-74 | 147 | 0.1% | 223 | 0.1% | 370 | 0.1% |
| 75+ | 175 | 0.1% | 153 | 0.1% | 328 | 0.1% |
| All ages | 7,222 | 0.3% | 24,490 | 1.0% | 31,712 | 0.6% |
Number of people known to have autism by age group
Since the early 2000's the Scottish Government has invested significantly in the development of diagnostic assessment services for children with autism, and there has been an associated substantial increase in the awareness of autism and its features among teachers, the medical profession, and parents. It benefits children to receive an early diagnosis as the additional supports for learning can then be put in place to optimise the child's education. The graphs above reflect these positive changes.
Proportion of people known to have autism by age group
Proportion of people known to have autism by age group compared with the whole population
Number of people known to have autism by gender
Proportion of males by age group
Proportion of males and females by age group
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Summary information
0.6% of people in Scotland are known to have autism, that’s 31,712 people
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Prevalence of autism ranges from 0.4% to 0.8% across local authorities and from 0.4% to 0.8% across health boards.
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More males than females across all local authorities and health boards are known to have autism.
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Dundee and Orkney local authorities have the highest prevalence of people known to have autism (0.8%).
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Orkney Islands health board has the highest prevalence of people known to have autism (0.8%).
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