title: The economic burden of pervasive developmental disorders in a privately insured population.
abstract: The objective of this study was to compare health care costs and utilization in children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs), asthma, or diabetes. Data for this investigation were derived from a large U.S. commercial insurance plan. Total cost per child and number of outpatient claims were significantly higher six months prediagnosis and 12 months postdiagnosis for PDD (N = 470) than for asthma (N = 550) or diabetes (N = 475). Controlling for age, gender, insurance plan, and prediagnosis costs, total cost per child during the postdiagnosis period was higher for PDD than for asthma or diabetes. Privately insured children with a PDD incur significantly greater costs and utilization and significantly more outpatient services than privately insured children with diabetes or asthma.
authors.affiliation: Regional Outcomes Research, Ortho McNeil-Janssen Scientific Affairs LLC, Titusville, New Jersey, USA. sflander@omjus.jnj.com
authors.forename: Scott C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Flanders
authors.forename: Luella
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Engelhart
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whitworth
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Vanderpoel
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sandman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000191:economics; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000191:economics*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D017149:Private Sector; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States