Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objectives
To determine predictors of emergency department (ED) visits in a cohort of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Design
Prospective cohort study.Setting
Community-based study from Ontario, Canada.Participants
Parents reported on their adult sons and daughters with ASD living in the community (n=284).Main outcome measures
ED visits for any reason, ED visits for medical reasons and ED visits for psychiatric reasons over 1?year.Results
Among individuals with ASD, those with ED visits for any reason were reported to have greater family distress at baseline (p<0.01), a history of visiting the ED during the year prior (p<0.01) and experienced two or more negative life events at baseline (p<0.05) as compared with those who did not visit the ED. Unique predictors of medical versus psychiatric ED visits emerged. Low neighbourhood income (p<0.01) and living in a rural neighbourhood (p<0.05) were associated with medical but not psychiatric ED visits, whereas a history of aggression (p<0.05) as well as being from an immigrant family (p<0.05) predicted psychiatric but not medical emergencies.Conclusions
A combination of individual and contextual variables may be important for targeting preventative community-based supports for individuals with ASD and their families. In particular, attention should be paid to how caregiver supports, integrative crisis planning and community-based services may assist in preventing or minimising ED use for this vulnerable population.
SUBMITTER: Lunsky Y
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5541491 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
BMJ open 20170718 7
<h4>Objectives</h4>To determine predictors of emergency department (ED) visits in a cohort of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).<h4>Design</h4>Prospective cohort study.<h4>Setting</h4>Community-based study from Ontario, Canada.<h4>Participants</h4>Parents reported on their adult sons and daughters with ASD living in the community (n=284).<h4>Main outcome measures</h4>ED visits for any reason, ED visits for medical reasons and ED visits for psychiatric reasons over 1 year ...[more]