Dr Ewelina Rydzewska is using data to help improve our understanding of suicide in autistic people living in Scotland. Her work includes exploring which factors are protective and which increase the risk for suicide, by finding patterns in readily-available anonymised data.



This study is exploring suicide, so please read with care. If you are feeling suicidal, know that help is available. Call the Samaritans on 116 123 if you need emotional support. If you feel you are in immediate danger to yourself, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E and ask for the crisis support team.

Why it matters

Existing research shows that deaths by suicide are more common in autistic people than in the general population.¹ But there aren’t many studies of whole-country populations, and there are none from the UK.

In non-autistic people, suicide has been consistently linked with mental health challenges² and struggling with substance use³. There currently isn’t any quality research that explores problematic alcohol and/or drug use as a predictor for suicide in autistic people.

Every suicide is preventable. We need to know more about suicide risks in autistic people to spot warning signs sooner so more autistic people can get evidence-based support before they reach crisis point.

About the research

Suicide is complex, and multiple factors can contribute towards someone’s decision to take their own life.

Ewelina will look at routinely collected health data to improve our understanding of suicide attempts and deaths in Scotland. She will link data from different sources together to look for patterns. These patterns will help explore the extent to which certain factors reduce or add to the risk of people dying by suicide.

All of Ewelina's analysis takes place in a national safe-haven environment, which has strict data safety and confidentiality protocols.

Some of the factors she will look at include:

  • Mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression.
  • Struggles with alcohol or drugs.
  • Interactions with healthcare services.
  • Socioeconomic factors, such as education and employment status.

Her research will identify gaps in services and help identify opportunities to help autistic people sooner.

How it's making more of a difference

To help prevent suicides in autistic people, we need to know more about what increases risk, and the protective factors.

Ewelina’s research will help identify important patterns and improve our understanding of what can contribute to or reduce someone’s chances of taking their own life.

Her work will:

  • Identify gaps in services. Addressing these will mean more people can get support sooner.
  • Help improve practitioners’ understanding of suicide in autism.
  • Inform future research that can improve support for autistic people struggling with their mental health and prevent them from reaching crisis point.

Ewelina hopes to answer the following five questions:

  1. What is the five and 10-year incidence of all-cause deaths of autistic people in Scotland?
  2. What is the one, five and 10-year incidence of suicide attempts and deaths of autistic people in Scotland?
  3. Can the relationship between autism and suicide be accounted for by individual and household socioeconomic factors, such as employment status, qualification, or household deprivation classification?
  4. To what extent does having a co-occurring mental health condition, such as an anxiety disorder disorder or depression, contribute to an autistic person’s risk of suicide or suicide attempts?
  5. Does the level of contact with healthcare services increase or decrease the risk of suicide attempts and deaths for autistic people?

How we are involved

We are partnering on this project, alongside the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Nottingham and Lothian Asperger’s Society (ELAS). To prevent suicide, we need to know more about it. This study moves us closer to our vision of autistic people living happier, healthier and longer lives.

The findings from this project will help inform future research that will contribute to our 2030 Goals of Support from day one and an annual tailored health check for autistic people.

Members from our Insight Group and Autistica Network with relevant lived experience will offer their expertise by experience to guide the study.

We’ll also help amplify the impact of the study by:

  • Sharing the findings amongst our networks.
  • Using the results to influence policymakers to make positive change.

References