Spending on Hospital Care and Pediatric Psychology Service Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer.
To examine the relationship between need-based pediatric psychology service use and spending on hospital care among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer.



Billing data were obtained from 48 AYAs with cancer receiving need-based pediatric psychology services and a comparison cohort of 48 AYAs with cancer not receiving services. A factorial analysis of covariance examined group differences in spending for hospital care. Pending significant findings, a multivariate analysis of covariance was planned to examine the relationship between need-based pediatric psychology service use and spending for inpatient admissions, emergency department (ED) visits, and outpatient visits.



Spending for hospital care was higher among AYAs receiving need-based pediatric psychology services than in the comparison cohort (p < .001, ωPartial2 = .11). Group differences were driven by significantly higher spending for inpatient admissions and ED visits among AYAs receiving need-based pediatric psychology services.



The behavioral and psychosocial difficulties warranting need-based pediatric psychology services may predict higher health care spending.
Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology.|Patient and Family Wellness Center, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
Meghan E
ME
McGrady
Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology.
James L
JL
Peugh
Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology.|Patient and Family Wellness Center, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
Gabriella A
GA
Brown
Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology.|Patient and Family Wellness Center, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
Ahna L H
ALH
Pai
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy; D009820:Ohio; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D060305:Transition to Adult Care / Q000191:economics*; D055815:Young Adult
adolescent; cancer; health expenditures; pediatric psychology; young adult