Access to and Satisfaction With School and Community Health Services for US Children With ASD
Open Access
- 1 December 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in PEDIATRICS
- Vol. 124 (Supplement), S407-S413
- https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-1255l
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to compare access to and satisfaction with school and community health resources among families with a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and families of other children with special health care needs (CSHCN). METHODS: Parents of 40256 children aged 0 to 17 were surveyed by the 2005–2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs. Autism was defined by the question, “To the best of your knowledge, does (child) currently have autism or autism spectrum disorder, that is, ASD?” We used χ2 and multivariate regression analyses to compare access to and satisfaction with services for parents of children with ASDs and parents of other CSHCN. RESULTS: Children with ASDs (n = 2123) comprise 5.4% of the CSHCN. More parents of children with ASDs reported difficulty using school and community services (27.6% vs 9.7%) and dissatisfaction (19.8% vs 7.9%) than parents of other CSHCN. Multivariate models determined that parents of children with ASDs were 3.39 times more likely to experience difficulty in obtaining services and 2.65 times more likely to be dissatisfied with services received than parents of other CSHCN, after controlling for household demographics and insurance status. Parents of children with ASDs reported a lack of available services and skilled providers. CONCLUSIONS: Parents of children with ASDs reported less access to and more dissatisfaction with school and community health services than parents of other CSHCN. An increased supply of appropriate services with qualified providers for children with ASDs is needed in the United States.This publication has 19 references indexed in Scilit:
- Building Systems of Care: Findings From the National Survey of Children With Special Health Care NeedsPEDIATRICS, 2009
- A National Sample of Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Special Education Services and Parent SatisfactionJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2008
- Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children with Seizures in the First Year of Life—A Population‐Based StudyEpilepsia, 2007
- Sleep Disturbances and Correlates of Children with Autism Spectrum DisordersChild Psychiatry and Human Development, 2006
- Satisfaction With Primary Health Care Received by Families of Children With Developmental DisabilitiesJournal of Pediatric Health Care, 2006
- National Autism Prevalence Trends From United States Special Education DataPEDIATRICS, 2005
- Welcome to Our WorldFocus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 2005
- Claims, Barriers, and SatisfactionJournal of Disability Policy Studies, 2004
- Examining Parents' Involvement in and Perceptions of Special Education ServicesFocus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 2003
- Litigating a Free Appropriate Public EducationThe Journal of Special Education, 2000