Autism

In 2025, 10,300 children and adolescents with autism received 93,500 contact days in outpatient care, representing a substantial increase since 2019. The increase from 2024 to 2025 was as large as in previous years. The catchment areas of Lovisenberg, Oslo University Hospital (OUS), and Vestre Viken stand out with higher rates than the rest of the country.

There are considerable differences in contact-day rates between catchment areas, and there is also clear regional variation. Catchment areas in Northern Norway Regional Health Authority have lower patient rates than the rest of the country, while the other regions have rates closer to the national average. A similar pattern is seen for contact-day rates, with Central Norway Regional Health Authority also having relatively low rates. Within South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, however, the variation between catchment areas is substantial.

Many children and adolescents with autism receive treatment in the somatic health services, particularly those younger than 7 years of age. The geographical variation is considerable: in Sørlandet, Nord-Trøndelag, and Helgeland, more than half of these patients receive treatment in somatic care, whereas the corresponding proportions are lower in other health trusts.

Many catchment areas experienced a marked increase in contact-day rates during the five-year period leading up to 2025. In Lovisenberg and Vestre Viken, the contact-day rates for autism doubled, whereas Vestfold experienced a reduction, particularly compared with other catchment areas. Nationally, the contact-day rate increased by approximately 60% by 2025, with a steady year-on-year increase throughout the five-year period from 2021.

Contact days for autism were defined according to the following criteria:

• Individuals with a diagnosis code beginning with F84 according to ICD-10 in Axis 1 (all diagnostic subcodes) within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), or with a primary diagnosis coded F84 in specialist substance use treatment, somatic care, rehabilitation services, or by private specialists with public contracts.
• Outpatient treatment was defined as contacts where the patient was admitted and discharged on the same date, irrespective of the reported level of care. Both direct and indirect contacts were included. Only one contact per patient per day was counted.

Age: 0–17 years.

Rates were adjusted for age and sex using the direct standardisation method, with the Norwegian population in 2023 as the reference population.

Helse Førde is solely responsible for the interpretation and presentation of the data provided. The Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR) and the Norwegian Registry for Primary Health Care (KPR) are not responsible for analyses or interpretations based on data they have supplied.