Sociodemographic Disparities in Intervention Service Utilization in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study investigates whether sociodemographic factors are associated with utilization of intervention services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) enrolled in the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment Study. Maternal ethnicity, insurance status, and education for 696 families of children with ASD were available. Children of Black mothers entered intervention earlier compared to White mothers (2 vs. 2.6 years; p = 0.001). Having public insurance was associated with receiving < 15 h/week of individual services, while having a Bachelor degree was associated with receiving < 15 h/week of classroom-based services. These differences suggest that SES may be a factor in utilization of services. Efforts should be made to ensure that interventions offered are culturally and linguistically accessible.