An Exploration and Confirmation of the Measurement of Healthcare Experiences of Children With Autism: Analysis of the 2019 and 2020 National Survey of Children’s Health
Abstract
Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of chronic neurodevelopmental disabilities. Due to the complex medical needs of this population, increased morbidity and health resource utilization have been noted, as well as unmet medical needs. Understanding the healthcare experiences could yield improved care. The objective of this study was to determine the underlying structure of patient experience among children and adolescents with ASD.Methods: Data were obtained from the 2019 and 2020 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA, 2019 data) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA, 2020 data) were conducted. The study was limited to caregivers of children between the ages of 0-17 years, who reported children had seen a healthcare provider in the previous 12 months, had an ASD diagnosis, and needed decisions made about healthcare. A total of 419 caregivers in 2019 data and 631 caregivers in 2020 data met the inclusion criteria. Logistic regression was conducted to assess the association between the individual dimensions and healthcare resource utilization metrics (ER visits, hospitalization, mental health treatment visits, and preventive care visits) among respondents to the 2020 NSCH Survey. Results: Three factors emerged for both age groups: family-centered care (FCC), shared decision-making (SDM), and access to healthcare. Increased experiences of SDM were associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing any preventive care visit among children in the previous year. In contrast, access to care was related to mental health visits among children.Conclusions: Components of patient experience are associated with healthcare resource utilization among children with ASD. Further research is warranted to better understand these components and others that may emerge with more comprehensive data.
Subject Area
Health sciences|Disability studies|Mental health|Health care management
Recommended Citation
Gandhi, Hema, "An Exploration and Confirmation of the Measurement of Healthcare Experiences of Children With Autism: Analysis of the 2019 and 2020 National Survey of Children’s Health" (2024). ProQuest ETD Collection - Thomas Jefferson University. AAI31242890.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/dissertations/AAI31242890
