ERIC Number: EJ1221753
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Aug
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-3613
EISSN: N/A
Healthcare Access and Services Use among US Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Lindly, Olivia J.; Zuckerman, Katharine E.; Kuhlthau, Karen A.
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, v23 n6 p1419-1430 Aug 2019
This study aimed to determine associations of healthcare access problems with services use among US children with autism spectrum disorder. We analyzed 2011-2014 National Health Interview Survey data on 651 children with autism spectrum disorder aged 2-17 years. There were three measures of healthcare access problems: (1) delays accessing healthcare, (2) difficulty affording healthcare, and (3) trouble finding a primary care provider. There were five service use measures: (1) [greater than or equal to]4 office visits, (2) [greater than or equal to]1 well-child visit, (3) flu vaccine, (4) prescription medication, and (5) [greater than or equal to]1 emergency department visit. Multivariable regression models estimated associations of [greater than or equal to]1 healthcare access problem with each service use variable and effect modification by socioeconomic status and race and ethnicity. Twenty-nine percent of children with autism spectrum disorder had [greater than or equal to]1 healthcare access problem. Having [greater than or equal to]1 healthcare access problem was associated with lower adjusted odds of [greater than or equal to]1 well-child visit or prescription medication use but higher adjusted odds of [greater than or equal to]4 office visits or [greater than or equal to]1 emergency department visit. No significant association was found for flu vaccine. Associations of healthcare access problems with emergency department use were most pronounced for higher socioeconomic status and White, non-Hispanic subgroups. Intervention, such as insurance expansion, is needed to improve healthcare access for children with autism spectrum disorder.
Descriptors: Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Access to Health Care, Children, Adolescents, Barriers, Health Care Costs, Primary Health Care, Health Behavior, Socioeconomic Status, Racial Differences, Ethnicity
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2814
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) (DHHS/PHS); National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) (DHHS/NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: National Health Interview Survey
Grant or Contract Numbers: T32HS000063; UL1TR001102