October 26, 2022
A national report assessing autism services across Canada reveals an evidence gap on rates of autism among Indigenous people in Canada. The barriers non-Indigenous autism patients face are exacerbated by colonization and related intergenerational traumas and leave Indigenous autistic children, adults and their families in limbo. The report identified the need for Indigenous-led approaches to reduce inequities in data and diagnosis. About 2% of the Canadian population has autism spectrum disorder.