Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 28, 2025
Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
Published on: June 20, 2020
Using Claims Data to Map Unmet Service Needs for Early Childhood Developmental Disabilities in Virginia
Bergen B Nelson1, Daniel Ratushnyak2, Alicia Richards3
1Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU (BB Nelson and ER Wolf), Richmond, Va; Department of Pediatrics, Virginia Commonwealth University (BB Nelson and ER Wolf), Richmond, Va.
Insights
Early intervention services for young children with developmental disabilities (DD) are crucial, yet many children in Virginia do not receive them. Public insurance and higher unemployment areas are linked to better access, highlighting service gaps.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric developmental health
- Public health interventions
- Health services research
Background:
- Developmental disabilities (DD) impact over 10% of young children (0-5 years).
- Early intervention services significantly improve outcomes for children with DD.
- Barriers persist in connecting at-risk children to essential early intervention services.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify service gaps for young children with DD and established risk conditions in Virginia.
- Analyze socio-demographic factors associated with accessing early intervention services.
- Inform strategies to improve early childhood developmental service delivery.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 2018 Virginia All Payers Claim Database and American Community Survey data.
- Estimated prevalence of DD and intervention service utilization among children aged 0-5.
- Employed logistic and binomial regression for individual and ZCTA-level analyses of service access.
Main Results:
- Approximately 12% of children aged 0-5 had DD or established risk conditions; only 54% received intervention services.
- Individual factors associated with service access include older age, male sex, and public insurance.
- ZCTA-level factors indicate higher service access in areas with more unemployment, but lower access in areas with limited English proficiency and lower educational attainment.
Conclusions:
- Early childhood developmental service access in Virginia correlates with public insurance and living in areas with higher unemployment and education levels.
- Targeted efforts are necessary to address disparities and improve overall service delivery.
- Focusing on areas with high unmet needs is crucial for equitable access to early intervention.
Background:
Developmental disabilities (DD) affect over 10% of children 0 to 5 years of age, and early interventions are known to improve outcomes, yet barriers remain in connecting children to these services.
Objective:
To identify gaps in services for young children with DD and established risk conditions in Virginia.
Methods:
Data from the 2018 Virginia All Payers Claim Database and the American Community Survey were used to estimate the proportion of children with DD, and among those children, the proportion that received at least one intervention service. Logistic and binomial regression models were used to examine the socio-demographic associations with having developmental needs met, at the individual and zip code tabulation (ZCTA) level.
Results:
Approximately 12% of children 0 to 5 years were found to have DD or established risk condition diagnosis, and only 54% of these received intervention services during that year. Individual-level analyses suggest that odds of having developmental needs met are higher among older children, boys, and children with public insurance. ZCTA-level analyses suggested higher odds of developmental needs being met in areas with higher levels of unemployment, while areas with high proportions of people with limited English proficiency and a high school education or less had lower odds of having needs met.
Conclusions:
Receiving early childhood developmental services in Virginia is associated with having public insurance and living in an area with higher levels of unemployment, higher education, and English-proficiency. Efforts are needed to improve delivery of services overall, specifically targeted to those areas with high levels of unmet need.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:25Learning Disabilities
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-I
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...
01:15Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
For example, a patient with a chronic...
01:29Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Long-Term Care Facilities
01:19Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.