Health system utilization before age 1 among children later diagnosed with autism or ADHD.

ABSTRACT: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have 2-3 times increased healthcare utilization and annual costs once diagnosed, but little is known about their utilization patterns early in life. Quantifying their early health system utilization could uncover condition-specific health trajectories to facilitate earlier detection and intervention. Patients born 10/1/2006-10/1/2016 with???2 well-child visits within the Duke University Health System before age 1 were grouped as ASD, ADHD, ASD?+?ADHD, or No Diagnosis using retrospective billing codes. An additional comparison group was defined by later upper respiratory infection diagnosis. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for hospital admissions, procedures, emergency department (ED) visits, and outpatient clinic encounters before age 1 were compared between groups via logistic regression models. Length of hospital encounters were compared between groups via Mann-Whitney U test. In total, 29,929 patients met study criteria (ASD N?=?343; ADHD N?=?1175; ASD?+?ADHD N?=?140). ASD was associated with increased procedures (AOR?=?1.5, p?

SUBMITTER: Engelhard MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7572401 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature