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Health Services Use and Costs in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Germany: Results from a Survey in ASD Outpatient Clinics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

J. Höfer
Affiliation:
Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Dept. Of Health Services Research, Oldenburg, Germany
F. Hoffmann
Affiliation:
Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Dept. Of Health Services Research, Oldenburg, Germany
M. Dörks
Affiliation:
Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Dept. Of Health Services Research, Oldenburg, Germany
I. Kamp-Becker
Affiliation:
Philipps-Universität Marburg, Dept. Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Marburg, Germany
C. Küpper
Affiliation:
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Dept. Of Psychiatry, Berlin, Germany
L. Poustka
Affiliation:
Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Dept. Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Göttingen, Germany
S. Roepke
Affiliation:
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Dept. Of Psychiatry, Berlin, Germany
V. Roessner
Affiliation:
Medical Faculty of the Technical University Dresden, Dept. Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Dresden, Germany
S. Stroth
Affiliation:
Philipps-Universität Marburg, Dept. Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Marburg, Germany
N. Wolff
Affiliation:
Medical Faculty of the Technical University Dresden, Dept. Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Dresden, Germany
C. Bachmann*
Affiliation:
Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Dept. Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Ulm, Germany
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with high services use, but European data on costs are scarce.

Objectives

Utilisation and annual costs of 385 individuals with ASD (aged 4-67 years; 18.2% females; 37.4% IQ < 85) from German outpatient clinics were assessed.

Methods

Client Service Receipt Inventory

Results

Average annual costs per person were 3287 EUR, with psychiatric inpatient care (19.8%), pharmacotherapy (11.1%), and occupational therapy (11.1%) being the largest cost components. Females incurred higher costs than males (4864 EUR vs. 2936 EUR). In a regression model, female sex (Cost Ratio: 1.65), lower IQ (1.90), and Asperger syndrome (1.54) were associated with higher costs.

Conclusions

In conclusion, ASD-related health costs are comparable to those of schizophrenia, thus underlining its public health relevance. Higher costs in females demand further research.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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