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. 2021 Nov 29;8(12):1099.
doi: 10.3390/children8121099.

Impact of Social and Relational Adversity on Access to Services among US Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder 2016-2019

Sarah D Ronis  1   2 , Eunice Lee  2 , Carrie Cuffman  3 , Kimberly Burkhart  2   4
Affiliations

Impact of Social and Relational Adversity on Access to Services among US Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder 2016-2019

Sarah D Ronis et al. Children (Basel). .

Abstract

To explore the impact of social and relational adversity on access to key health services among US children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), cross-sectional analyses of the 2016-2019 National Survey of Children's Health assessed use of key health services by children with ASD, accounting for differences in demographic characteristics, medical needs, and experience of social and relational adversities. sUS children with ASD were more than twice as likely as peers without ASD to report two or more social adversities and more than three times as likely to report two or more relational adversities. In multivariable models, relational adversities were significantly associated with greater odds of medication use for ASD (OR 1.50, 95%CI:1.02, 2.17). Social adversities were neither associated with receipt of behavioral therapies nor prescription of medication to treat ASD. Screening for various forms of adversity among youth with ASD is of great importance; even one adverse experience may be enough to influence care of a child with ASD, with differences in effect according to the nature of the particular adversity. Further research should evaluate the role that childhood adversity plays in physical and mental health outcomes in ASD.

Keywords: adverse childhood experiences; autism spectrum disorder; health disparities; health services; social determinants of health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Application of the Andersen and Aday Framework of Health Services Utilization.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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