The Cost of Autism Spectrum Disorders
dc.contributor.author | Horlin, Chiara | |
dc.contributor.author | Falkmer, Marita | |
dc.contributor.author | Parsons, Richard | |
dc.contributor.author | Albrecht, Matthew | |
dc.contributor.author | Falkmer, Torbjorn | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2017-01-30T14:34:15Z | |
dc.date.available | 2017-01-30T14:34:15Z | |
dc.date.created | 2014-09-15T03:23:40Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2014 | |
dc.identifier.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. | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39473 | |
dc.identifier.doi | 10.1371/journal.pone.0106552 | |
dc.description.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. | |
dc.publisher | Public Library of Science | |
dc.title | The Cost of Autism Spectrum Disorders | |
dc.type | Journal Article | |
dcterms.source.volume | 9 | |
dcterms.source.number | 9 | |
dcterms.source.issn | 1932-6203 | |
dcterms.source.title | PLoS ONE | |
curtin.note |
This article is published under the Open Access publishing model and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons License | |
curtin.department | School of Occupational Therapy and Social Work | |
curtin.accessStatus | Open access |