Delayed By Design

Investigating The Gender Gap in Neurodevelopmental Diagnoses

Abstract

Women with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism are often diagnosed later than men or remain undiagnosed altogether, in part because diagnostic criteria have historically been based on how symptoms present in men. Differences in symptom presentation and gender bias within healthcare can cause symptoms in women to be overlooked or misattributed. This diagnostic gap for neurodevelopmental disorders in young women has an impact on social, economic, and mental health, particularly in areas that display a lack of advanced healthcare, making it important to understand why these delays persist and how they affect women navigating neurodevelopmental disorders in the U.S. healthcare system. Our goal is to raise awareness of this issue and share the stories of women who have struggled with this diagnostic gap. Methods: We will complete a review of research on gender disparities in the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders, with a focus on diagnostic delays for ADHD and autism. We will also conduct interviews with women who have received diagnoses for these disorders and/or have had particularly difficult experiences with being a woman in the U.S. healthcare system to understand how diagnostic delay affected their experiences and lives. We will compare recurring themes across interviews with patterns identified in existing research to examine the systemic factors contributing to diagnostic delay and its effects. Deliverable: A zine that consolidates relevant research regarding the delay and gender gap that women experience with neurodevelopmental disorder diagnoses and contains interviews from women whose experiences are representative of this diagnostic delay. The zine will be compiled in an engaging manner and made available to the public to raise awareness.

Meet the Team

  • Naomi Adams

    Naomi Adams (she/her) is a junior at South High School in Torrance, California. Very driven and disciplined, she participates in fields that she is truly passionate about and centers her work on improving the lives of others through the spread of information, free services, and access to healthcare. Naomi is extremely interested in pursuing a pre-med pathway and advancing to medical school after college. She has enjoyed experiences in orthopedic and ophthalmic operating rooms, including a summer 2025 internship at Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital in Los Angeles, as well as medical mission trips to San Quintin, Mexico. Naomi is a passionate member of her church and is on the Student Leadership Team for the Youth Ministry, as well as a board member of her school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). She has been a member of Girl Scouts since 1st grade and is currently working on a Gold Award passion project that focuses on teaching infant CPR to parents and raising awareness about cardiac health. While her heart is in service, she has a passion and talent for sports, participating in her school’s track and field team as a 3-year varsity athlete. Naomi won Offensive MVP of her varsity soccer team and will compete for a national championship this June with her club team. This summer, she looks forward to a church mission trip centered on supporting and encouraging children in foster care.

  • Erin Han

    Erin Han (she/her) is a rising senior at Beverly Hills High School whose curiosity about people runs through everything she does. She is drawn to understanding why people behave the way they do, how communities respond to their most vulnerable members, and what justice really looks like in practice. That interest shows up most clearly in how she spends her time outside of school in both Korea and the United States: supporting children through volunteering at a camp for neurodivergent children and an elderly center during school breaks in Seoul, or working with low-income teens and protecting her local coastline in the broader Los Angeles community. Recently elected as co-captain for varsity cheer, her years on the team have given her a parallel education in discipline, teamwork, and showing up for others. Whether she's on the mat or volunteering in her community, Erin is passionate about helping others and excited to use that drive to shape her next educational chapter.

  • Laya Sunkara

    Laya Sunkara (she/her) is a rising senior at The Harker School in San Jose, CA with interests in public health, scientific research, finance, and youth advocacy. She is the co-founder of a nonprofit dedicated to combating period poverty and promoting menstrual health education, where she works to expand access to menstrual products while raising awareness about menstrual health and equity. Her commitment to service has earned her the Presidential Volunteer Service Award in the Gold Tier. Passionate about using science and technology to address real-world challenges, she recently co-developed FreshAlert, a machine learning-based food spoilage detection system designed to reduce household food waste and improve sustainability, earning the first place award in its category at the Synopsys Science and Engineering Fair. Beyond advocacy and research, she is interested in investing and financial markets, particularly the ways innovation and emerging technologies can create meaningful social impact, and she strives to increase financial literacy in her community through her involvement with her school’s investment club. Through NYAC, she hopes to collaborate with other young leaders and explore solutions to challenges facing communities across the country.