Autism : the international journal of research and practice
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This study examined differences in the rates of psychiatric-related emergency department visits among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and adolescents without autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Additional outcomes included emergency department recidivism, probability of psychiatric hospitalization after the emergency department visit, and receipt of outpatient mental health services before and after the emergency department visit. ⋯ Compared to the other groups, adolescents with autism spectrum disorder also had an increased probability of emergency department recidivism, psychiatric hospitalization after the emergency department visit, and receipt of outpatient care before and after the visit (all p < 0.001). Further research is required to understand whether these findings extend to youth with other neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly those who are publicly insured.
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This study aimed to describe patterns of emergency department use and police interactions, as well as satisfaction with emergency services of 40 adults with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability over 12-18 months. Approximately 42.5% of the sample reported visiting the emergency department and 32.5% reported interactions with police during the study period. Presenting concerns for emergency department use and police interactions varied widely, highlighting the heterogeneous needs of this population. On average, participants reported being dissatisfied with care received in the emergency department while police interactions were rated relatively more favourably.