Health Care of Latino Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities: Quality of Provider Interaction Mediates Utilization

This study examines access to, utilization of, and quality of health care for Latino children with autism and other developmental disabilities. We analyze data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (N = 4,414 children with autism and other developmental disabilities). Compared with White children, Latino children with autism and other developmental disabilities had a consistent pattern of worse health care access, utilization, and quality. We then test mediation models to determine if health care quality mediates the relationship between ethnicity and health care utilization disparities. Three of four quality indicators (provider does not spend enough time with child, provider is not culturally sensitive, and provider does not make parent feel like a partner) were significant mediators. These analyses suggest that interventions targeted at improving providers' cultural sensitivity and behavior during the clinical encounter may reduce disparities in the health care utilization of Latino children with autism and other developmental disabilities.