Table 4.
Unmet Healthcare Needs and Healthcare Utilization
| Autistic N (%) from N = 209 | Non-Autistic N (%) from N = 228 | OR (CI) | Adjusted OR (CI)* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unmet healthcare needs | ||||
| During the past 12 months, there was a time when I felt that I needed the following type of healthcare, but did not receive it. | ||||
| Medical care for a physical health problem | 63 (30 %) | 36 (16 %) | 2.3 (1.5–3.7) | 1.9 (1.1–3.4) |
| Mental healthcare or counseling | 70 (34 %) | 39 (17 %) | 2.4 (1.6–3.8) | 2.2 (1.3–3.7) |
| Preventive healthcare (including routine physical examinations)** | 53 (26 %) | 41 (18 %) | 1.6 (1.0–2.5) | 1.4 (0.8–2.4) |
| Dental care (including dental checkups) | 73 (35 %) | 62 (27 %) | 1.4 (1.0–2.2) | 1.1 (0.6–1.8) |
| Prescription medications | 46 (22 %) | 15 (7 %) | 4.0 (2.2–7.5) | 2.8 (1.4–5.6) |
| Eyeglasses or contact lenses | 39 (19 %) | 37 (16 %) | 1.2 (0.7–1.9) | 1.1 (0.6–2.0) |
| Healthcare utilization | ||||
| Has primary care provider | 163 (80 %) | 179 (79 %) | 1.0 (0.6–1.6) | 1.6 (0.9–3.0) |
| Blood pressure checked in past year | 192 (94 %) | 213 (94 %) | 1.0 (0.4–2.1) | 1.5 (0.6–4.0) |
| 4 or more outpatient visits in past year | 80 (38 %) | 83 (36 %) | 1.1 (0.7–1.6) | 1.0 (0.6–1.6) |
| Hospitalized in past year | 18 (9 %) | 24 (11 %) | 0.8 (0.4–1.5) | 0.6 (0.2–1.4) |
| Went to Emergency Department in past year | 57 (27 %) | 31 (14 %) | 2.4 (1.5–3.9) | 2.1 (1.8–3.8) |
| Pap smear in past 3 years (females only) | 72 (59 %) | 115 (78 %) | 0.4 (0.2–0.7) | 0.5 (0.2–0.9) |
| Tetanus vaccine in past 10 years | 128 (73 %) | 170 (83 %) | 0.5 (0.3–0.9) | 0.05 (0.3–0.9) |
OR odds ratio; CI confidence interval
* Adjusted odds ratio, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, personal and parental educational level, income, type of health insurance, and overall health status
** The term “preventive healthcare” had a link to the following definition: “Preventive healthcare is healthcare that is aimed at early detection and treatment or prevention of disease. Examples of preventive healthcare may include visits where a healthcare worker performs screening tests such as pap smears, mammograms, colonoscopies; draws blood to check a cholesterol level; counsels a patient about diet, exercise, tobacco, or alcohol; or performs a routine physical examination”