Abstract
The aim of this study was to study patterns of contact with hospital for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using
Danish population based register data. We included all children born in Denmark from 1994 through 2002. We found that children
diagnosed with ASD had an increased rate of contact with hospital, almost regardless of the cause for the hospital contact.
Given the overall association between hospital contact for various causes and ASD observed in these data, hospital data should
be used cautiously in future studies searching for associations between a specific disease and ASD. If the increased rate
of hospital contact overall for children with ASD is not considered, then misleading over interpretations might be made of
observed associations between specific diseases and ASD.
Danish population based register data. We included all children born in Denmark from 1994 through 2002. We found that children
diagnosed with ASD had an increased rate of contact with hospital, almost regardless of the cause for the hospital contact.
Given the overall association between hospital contact for various causes and ASD observed in these data, hospital data should
be used cautiously in future studies searching for associations between a specific disease and ASD. If the increased rate
of hospital contact overall for children with ASD is not considered, then misleading over interpretations might be made of
observed associations between specific diseases and ASD.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original paper
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s10803-011-1416-5
- Authors
- Hjördis Osk Atladóttir, Department of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, University of Aarhus, Bartholin allé 2, 8000 Århus C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Diana E. Schendel, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Marlene B. Lauritsen, Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark
- Tine Brink Henriksen, Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Erik T. Parner, Department of Public Health, Section of Biostatistics, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
- Journal Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
- Online ISSN 1573-3432
- Print ISSN 0162-3257
