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Brief Report: Health Expenditures for Children with Autism and Family Financial Well-Being in China
Ling Zhou1, Jiebiao Wang2, Jin Huang3,2
1Beijing City University, No. 269, North Fourth Middle Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China. zhouling@bcu.edu.cn.
Insights
Caring for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) impacts family finances. High health expenditures reduce perceived financial well-being, especially when competing with other essential family needs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Financial well-being is crucial for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- Limited research exists on the financial status of families with children diagnosed with ASD.
- Understanding financial strain is vital for supporting ASD families.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the financial well-being of families raising children with ASD in China.
- To examine the association between health expenditures for children with ASD and family financial status.
- To identify the mechanisms through which health expenditures influence financial well-being.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from a 2019 survey of 3064 Chinese families with a child diagnosed with ASD.
- Employed regression analyses to assess the relationship between health expenditures and financial well-being.
- Adjusted for extensive demographic and socioeconomic control variables.
Main Results:
- Higher health expenditures were negatively associated with families' perceived financial status.
- This association lost statistical significance after accounting for household material hardship.
- Resource competition with other family needs was identified as the primary pathway affecting financial well-being.
Conclusions:
- Health expenditures for children with ASD significantly impact family financial well-being.
- Material hardship is a key mediating factor in this relationship.
- Interventions should consider the broader economic context and resource competition faced by these families.
Abstract:
Little is known on the financial well-being of families raising children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Family financial well-being has important impacts on the development of children with ASD. The study uses a 2019 survey collected from Chinese families raising a child with ASD (N = 3064) to examine their financial well-being and its association with health expenditures for children. Extensive control variables (i.e., demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of children, respondents, and their families) are adjusted in analyses. Findings suggest that the amount of health expenditures is negatively associated with respondents' perception of their financial status. The significance of health expenditures disappears after household material hardship is adjusted. Health expenditures affect financial well-being mainly through resource competitions against family needs.
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