Report on Autism Spectrum Disorder Releases Findings 2018-2022

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting a person’s interactions and communications.  As the field of study broadens, more is realized about ASD and targeted approaches to better assist people are being developed. In a recent study from 2019-2022, researchers reported new findings that elucidate opportunities for better direction in working with people diagnosed with ASD.

Sadly, as in too much of healthcare, costs drive the outcomes discussions. The report offered this assessment: “Between 2011 and 2022, the diagnosis rate of ASD increased, by 207 percent and 143 percent for children 5 to 8 years (30.3 per 1,000 children) and 9 to 12 years (22.1 per 1,000 children), respectively.² As the prevalence of ASD increases, so do concerns about the associated treatment costs.”

Additionally, the authors stated that, “This statistical brief reports the average annual percent treated for ASD and average total health expenditures for children (3 to 17 years) with and without treated ASD. It is important to note that prior studies find that approximately one-third of children with a current ASD diagnosis will not receive treatment (either medication or behavioral).”

The study concentrated on several areas, including prevalence, health expenditures, service categories, as well as sex, age, and insurance coverage. The research was led by the Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS-HC), a nationally recognized healthcare survey group. MEPS-HC is cosponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). More information about the MEPS-HC can be found at https://meps.ahrq.gov/.

And to learn more about the study itself, go to https://meps.ahrq.gov/data_files/publications/st565/stat565.shtml