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ERIC Number: EJ1469155
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-May
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-3613
EISSN: EISSN-1461-7005
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Health Service Utilization among Autistic Youth in Aotearoa New Zealand: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study
Laurie K. McLay1; Philip J. Schluter1,2; John Williams3; Francesca Anns4; Ruth Monk1; Joanne Dacombe3; Gabrielle Hogg5; Jessica Tupou6; Troy Ruhe3; Taylor Scott1; Emma Woodford1; Hiran Thabrew4; Nicholas Bowden3
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, v29 n5 p1143-1156 2025
Many autistic youth have complex healthcare needs, resulting in high rates of health service utilization. However, many characteristics of this health service utilization remain unknown. Using whole-of-population data, this study aimed to quantify and compare rates of psychiatric and non-psychiatric health service utilization among autistic and non-autistic youth, with and without co-occurring intellectual disability. A national retrospective cohort study was employed using linked individual-level administrative data for Aotearoa New Zealand youth (aged 0-24 years). Health service utilization outcomes included 11 psychiatric and non-psychiatric domains. Propensity score matching on a range of sociodemographic measures compared groups across health service utilization outcomes. Data were obtained for 19,479 autistic youth, 29% of whom had a co-occurring intellectual disability and 1,561,278 non-autistic youth. Results demonstrated higher rates of mental health service utilization among autistic compared with non-autistic youth, including inpatient (prevalence ratio 5.85; 95% confidence interval 4.93-6.94) and outpatient (prevalence ratio 4.96; 95% confidence interval 4.75-5.18) service use and psychotropic medication dispensing (prevalence ratio 6.83; 95% confidence interval 6.65-7.02), particularly among autistic youth without intellectual disability. Rates of non-psychiatric hospital admissions (prevalence ratio 1.93; 95% confidence interval 1.85-2.01), potentially avoidable hospitalizations (prevalence ratio 1.91; 95% confidence interval 1.82-2.00) and outpatient visits (prevalence ratio 1.99; 95% confidence interval 1.95-2.01) were also higher among autistic youth. Research implications for delivery of healthcare services are discussed.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Zealand
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha, University of Canterbury, New Zealand; 2The University of Queensland, Australia; 3University of Otago, New Zealand; 4The University of Auckland, New Zealand; 5Independent Researcher, New Zealand; 6Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand