141st APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
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286757
Barriers to treatment in autism spectrum disorders


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Darshini Shah, BS, Department of Pharmacy Administration, Mylan School of Pharmacy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA
Megan Brewster, Department of Pharmacy Administration, Mylan School of Pharmacy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA
Andrea Pfalzgraf, MPH, PhD, Department of Pharmacy Administration, Mylan School of Pharmacy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA
Vincent Giannetti, PhD, Department of Pharmacy Administration, Mylan School of Pharmacy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA
Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurological disorders that influence the normal development of the brain and impact social interaction, communication skills, and cognitive function. Families of children with ASD face barriers in obtaining health care for their children. The aim of this study is to identify whether core outcomes as defined by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) differ based on: race of the child, severity of ASD, and status of autism mandate in the state. The secondary aim was to determine other predictors of MCHB outcomes in children with ASD.

Method: A retrospective data analysis was conducted in SAS 9.3 utilizing data from the National Survey of Children with Special Healthcare Needs 2009-2010. The data was collected by the National Center for Health Statistics.

Results: MCHB outcomes were found to be different among children based on the severity of ASD. As compared to children with mild autism, children with severe autism were 33% less likely to receive necessary services to help transition into adulthood, 47% less likely to have a medical home, and 70% less likely to meet all six core outcomes of MCHB. The outcomes did not differ by the status of the autism mandate in the state.

Conclusion: Despite several federal and state initiatives to provide adequate coverage for services necessary to treat ASD, a large percentage of children with ASD do not have adequate insurance. Future policies with a more patient centered approach may help alleviate this issue.

Learning Areas:

Epidemiology
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Compare outcomes defined by maternal and child health bureau across different levels of severity in Autism Spectrum Disorders Identify predictors of barriers to treatment in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Keyword(s): Access to Health Care, Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a graduate student and I have conducted this research under the guidance of my advisor. My advisor Dr. Andrea Pfalzgraf has a strong interest and wide knowledge of the area of Mental health in children. Her PhD thesis dissertation was on depression in children.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4271.0: Maternal and Child Health Section Student Poster Session: Research and Practice from Around the World