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    The Cost of Autism Spectrum Disorders

    200686_132060_The_Cost_of_Autism_Spectrum_Disorders.pdf (326.6Kb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Horlin, Chiara
    Falkmer, Marita
    Parsons, Richard
    Albrecht, Matthew
    Falkmer, Torbjorn
    Date
    2014
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Horlin, C. and Falkmer, M. and Parsons, R. and Albrecht, M. and Falkmer, T. 2014. The Cost of Autism Spectrum Disorders. PLoS ONE. 9 (9): Article ID e106552.
    Source Title
    PLoS ONE
    DOI
    10.1371/journal.pone.0106552
    ISSN
    1932-6203
    School
    School of Occupational Therapy and Social Work
    Remarks

    This article is published under the Open Access publishing model and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Please refer to the licence to obtain terms for any further reuse or distribution of this work

    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39473
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Objective: A diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorders is usually associated with substantial lifetime costs to an individual, their family and the community. However, there remains an elusive factor in any cost-benefit analysis of ASD diagnosis, namely the cost of not obtaining a diagnosis. Given the infeasibility of estimating the costs of a population that, by its nature, is inaccessible, the current study compares expenses between families whose children received a formal ASD diagnosis immediately upon suspecting developmental atypicality and seeking advice, with families that experienced a delay between first suspicion and formal diagnosis. Design: A register based questionnaire study covering all families with a child with ASD in Western Australia. Participants: Families with one or more children diagnosed with an ASD, totalling 521 children diagnosed with an ASD; 317 records were able to be included in the final analysis.Results: The median family cost of ASD was estimated to be AUD $34,900 per annum with almost 90% of the sum ($29,200) due to loss of income from employment. For each additional symptom reported, approximately $1,400 cost for the family per annum was added. While there was little direct influence on costs associated with a delay in the diagnosis, the delay was associated with a modest increase in the number of ASD symptoms, indirectly impacting the cost of ASD. Conclusions: A delay in diagnosis was associated with an indirect increased financial burden to families. Early and appropriate access to early intervention is known to improve a child's long-term outcomes and reduce lifetime costs to the individual, family and society. Consequently, a per symptom dollar value may assist in allocation of individualised funding amounts for interventions rather than a nominal amount allocated to all children below a certain age, regardless of symptom presentation, as is the case in Western Australia.

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