Autism is a lifelong condition characterized by repetitive and restrictive behaviors and differences in social communication. The reported prevalence of autism has risen exponentially in the past years. Early identification and subsequent early intervention are key to promoting better outcomes for autistic individuals. However, there is a dearth…

Objective: to examine factors associated with cigarette and hookah smoking among Middle Eastern (ME) Arab college women. Participants: 406 adult women of ME Arabic background, currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a US college. Methods: a cross-sectional design, using an anonymous online survey of demographic characteristics,…

Employed cancer survivors commonly experience stigmatization, work-related changes that create barriers to maintaining or returning to work, and high unemployment. Vocational rehabilitation (VR) services can be an important resource in job retention among cancer survivors, however the specific VR needs and most effective services for this…

Objective: To describe the distribution of pediatricians and family physicians (child physicians) across school districts and examine the association between physician supply and third-grade test scores. Data Sources and Study Setting: Data come from the January 2020 American Medical Association Physician Masterfile, the 2009-2013 and 2014-2018…

Despite a rise in the observed prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children, few estimates exist of the share of US outpatient mental health treatment facilities that provide services for children with autism spectrum disorder. We identified key facility- and county-level characteristics in offering mental health care for children with…

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often rely on Medicaid-funded services and supports to facilitate their daily living. The financial investment for these services is significant, yet little work has been conducted to understand how these investments affect life outcomes. This pilot study used a novel data integration…

Direct support professionals (DSPs) provide a broad range of supports in a variety of settings to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) that enables people to live, work, and participate in their communities. Despite the crucial importance in ensuring supports for community participation of people with IDD, high rates of…

Autistic adults in need of long-term services and supports spend months on waiting lists before receiving such services through Medicaid. Data from a state-wide survey of adults and their caregivers on a waiting list for autism waivers suggest that the majority have unmet needs for functional skills services (63.6%), employment or vocation…

Health services and associated costs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) were nationally profiled and the predictors of high expense users statistically modeled. Using linked data from the National Health Interview Survey and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for the years 2002 through 2011, the study found a mixed…

Health disparities in ASD detection affect children's access to subsequent interventions. We examined potential disparities in implementation of a multi-stage ASD screening and diagnostic evaluation protocol in Part C Early Intervention with 4943 children ages 14-36 months (mean 22.0 months; 62.9% boys, 73.3% children of color, 34.9%…

Hispanics have the lowest colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates of all racial/ethnic groups and comprise the largest proportion of low-income manual laborers in the nation. We partnered with businesses to implement a community health worker (CHW)-led intervention among Hispanic workers in service-related and manual labor occupations, which often…

The current study sought to investigate possible negative and positive predictors of hypothetically and actually engaging in mental health services for Latinx college students. Online surveys were collected from 145 Latinx students. These surveys assessed rankings of perceived barriers to engaging in mental health services. These barriers, along…

Previous literature documents a strong relationship between food insecurity and mental health, and also examines the impact of safety net programs on food insecurity. However, little is known about the intersection between mental health, safety net participation, and food insecurity. In this research, we use a multi-program safety net calculator…

While research consistently finds positive earnings returns to educational attainment, there is little evidence on postsecondary education's impact on other employment-related outcomes. Yet nonpecuniary returns to schooling are particularly important in the United States, where fringe benefits are typically tied to employment and there is a great…

Health coverage of early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is rapidly expanding across the United States. Yet we know little about the time-lag between diagnosis and treatment onset. We integrated administrative, Medicaid claims, and Census data for children in an EIBI Medicaid waiver (n =…