National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- (-) Autism (6)
- Behavioral Health (2)
- Care Coordination (1)
- Children/Adolescents (5)
- Chronic Conditions (1)
- Communication (1)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (2)
- Healthcare Costs (2)
- Health Insurance (1)
- Low-Income (1)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (1)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (1)
- Patient and Family Engagement (1)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (2)
- Screening (1)
- Stress (1)
- Vulnerable Populations (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 6 of 6 Research Studies DisplayedKuhn J, Levinson Udhnani, MD
What happens after a positive primary care autism screen among historically underserved families? Predictors of evaluation and autism diagnosis.
This study examined predictors of receiving a recommended diagnostic evaluation after a recommended primary care-administered autism screen, and of those who screen positive, who is most likely to be diagnosed with autism. Participants were 309 predominantly low-income, racial/ethnic minority parents and their child aged 15-27 months who screened positive with the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/F). Significant predictors of diagnostic evaluation included older parental age, being non-Hispanic and the child having private insurance, lower child communication functioning, or receiving Early Intervention services. Significant predictors of an autism diagnosis included being male, having lower child communication functioning, screening directly in the parent’s preferred language, White/non-Hispanic parent, and no parent history of mood disorder.
AHRQ-funded; HS022242.
Citation: Kuhn J, Levinson Udhnani, MD .
What happens after a positive primary care autism screen among historically underserved families? Predictors of evaluation and autism diagnosis.
J Dev Behav Pediatr 2021 Sep;42(7):515-23. doi: 10.1097/dbp.0000000000000928..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Autism, Screening, Vulnerable Populations, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Zuvekas SH, Grosse SD, Lavelle TA
AHRQ Author: Zuvekas SH
Healthcare costs of pediatric autism spectrum disorder in the United States, 2003-2015.
Published healthcare cost estimates for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) vary widely. One possible contributor is different methods of case ascertainment. In this study, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) case status was determined using two sources of parent reports among 45,944 children ages 3-17 years in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) linked to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Sample Child Core questionnaire. In this paper, the investigators describe their process and conclusions.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Zuvekas SH, Grosse SD, Lavelle TA .
Healthcare costs of pediatric autism spectrum disorder in the United States, 2003-2015.
J Autism Dev Disord 2021 Aug;51(8):2950-58. doi: 10.1007/s10803-020-04704-z..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Children/Adolescents, Autism, Healthcare Costs, Behavioral Health
Hickey EJ, Stransky M, Kuhn J
Parent stress and coping trajectories in Hispanic and non-Hispanic families of children at risk of autism spectrum disorder.
This study examined trajectories of parenting stress, coping, and perceived family impact over time throughout the autism diagnostic process among Hispanic and non-Hispanic families. Findings showed that Hispanic families reported lower levels of parenting stress, coping, and negative family impact across time. Further, there were differences in the change in use of coping and the amount of negative family impact reported between Hispanic and non-Hispanic parents over time.
AHRQ-funded; HS022242.
Citation: Hickey EJ, Stransky M, Kuhn J .
Parent stress and coping trajectories in Hispanic and non-Hispanic families of children at risk of autism spectrum disorder.
Autism 2021 Aug;25(6):1694-708. doi: 10.1177/13623613211001611..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Autism, Stress, Behavioral Health, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Cook A, Quinn ED, Rowland C
Exploring expressive communication skills in a cross-sectional sample of individuals with a dual diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and down syndrome.
The authors hypothesized that individuals with a comorbid diagnosis of Down syndrome (DS) and autism spectrum disorder would have significantly lower Communication Matrix scores and specifically social communication scores than individuals with DS alone. They found that, in a sample of 4,782 individuals with DS, scores for individuals with a comorbid diagnosis were on average 18.01 points and 7.26 points lower for total score and social score, respectively, as compared to individuals with DS alone.
AHRQ-funded; K12 HS026370; 1013200.
Citation: Cook A, Quinn ED, Rowland C .
Exploring expressive communication skills in a cross-sectional sample of individuals with a dual diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and down syndrome.
Am J Intellect Dev Disabil 2021 Mar 1;126(2):97-113. doi: 10.1352/1944-7558-126.2.97..
Keywords: Autism, Communication, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Feinberg E, Kuhn J, Eilenberg JS
Improving family navigation for children with autism: a comparison of two pilot randomized controlled trials.
This study looked at impacts of a modification to a pilot program called Family Navigation to help low-income, minority children needing autism-related diagnostic services receive those services. An advisory group recommended modifications to recruitment criteria and study conditions. 40 parent-child dyad participants were randomized between the two pilots to receive usual care (UC) or modified FN. Participant enrollment, satisfaction with clinical care, and timely completion of the diagnostic assessment were compared. Recruitment improved significantly with the modified protocol (4.8% vs. 19.5%) and no participants were excluded from study enrollment compared to the first pilot (43.6%). Families in the second pilot were more likely to complete diagnostic assessment and report greater satisfaction with clinical care.
AHRQ-funded; HS022155; HS022242.
Citation: Feinberg E, Kuhn J, Eilenberg JS .
Improving family navigation for children with autism: a comparison of two pilot randomized controlled trials.
Acad Pediatr 2021 Mar;21(2):265-71. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2020.04.007..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Autism, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Care Coordination, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Low-Income, Patient and Family Engagement, Chronic Conditions
Grosse SD, Ji X, Zuvekas
AHRQ Author: Zuvekas SH
Spending on young children with autism spectrum disorder in employer-sponsored plans, 2011-2017.
This study looked at spending trends on young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in employer-sponsored plans from 2011 to 2017. This cross-section analysis examined claims data from large-employer-sponsored health plans and assessed changes in annual expenditures by service type for children ages 3-5 enrolled for 1 year or more, and with two or more claims with ASD billing codes within a calendar year and compared it to all children. Mean spending per children with ASD increased by 51% in 2017 US dollars in 2017, while for all children the increase was 8%. ASD spending accounted for 41% of spending growth for children ages 3-7 during 2011-2017. Outpatient behavioral intervention-related spending increased by 376% during the time period, while spending on all other services increased by 2%.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Grosse SD, Ji X, Zuvekas .
Spending on young children with autism spectrum disorder in employer-sponsored plans, 2011-2017.
Psychiatr Serv 2021 Jan;72(1):16-22. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.202000099.
.
.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Autism, Health Insurance, Healthcare Costs