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Age of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis and Patient-Centered Medical Home Components

C A Limbers1, T Zeleznik2, G Beuley2

  • 1Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, One Bear Place #97334, Waco, TX, 76798, USA. Christine_Limbers@baylor.edu.

Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings
|August 7, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is crucial. Having a usual source for sick care was linked to earlier ASD diagnosis in children and adolescents, highlighting its importance for timely intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Healthcare Delivery Systems

Background:

  • Early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is critical for timely intervention and improved outcomes.
  • The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model emphasizes coordinated, accessible, and family-centered care.
  • Limited research exists on the association between PCMH components and the age of ASD diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between patient-centered medical home (PCMH) components and the age of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis.
  • To control for clinical and socio-demographic factors in analyzing this association.
  • To identify specific PCMH elements that may facilitate earlier ASD diagnosis.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional, observational study utilizing data from the 2020 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH).
  • Included caregivers of 1,193 children aged 17 years and younger with ASD.
  • Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess the association between PCMH components and age of ASD diagnosis.

Main Results:

  • A significant negative correlation was found between the overall patient-centered medical home (PCMH) proxy variable and the age of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis (β = -.08, p < .01).
  • Among individual PCMH components, only having a usual source of sick care was significantly associated with an earlier ASD diagnosis (β = -.11, p < .01).
  • Other PCMH components, including personal doctor, family-centered care, care coordination, and referral access, were not significantly associated with the age of ASD diagnosis in this sample.

Conclusions:

  • A usual source of sick care appears to be a key factor in achieving earlier autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses for children and adolescents.
  • Healthcare systems should focus on ensuring consistent access to a usual source of care to potentially expedite ASD diagnosis.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the mechanisms through which a usual source of care influences the diagnostic process for ASD.

Keywords:
AgeAutism spectrum disorderChildrenDiagnosisPatient-centered medical home

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