What’s Behind The Stark Rise In Children’s Disabilities
August 19, 2014
http://www.npr.org/2014/08/19/341674577/whats-behind-the-stark-rise-in-childrens-disabilities
A recent study finds that the rate of children diagnosed with a disability is rising — particularly among kids who come from a more affluent background. Dr. Amy Houtrow was one of the lead authors on the study, and she speaks with Audie Cornish.
Six million – that’s how many children are considered disabled in the U.S. today, a nearly 16 percent increase from a decade ago. And what accounts for that rise is explained in a new study out this week in the journal Pediatrics. The research shows that while physical disabilities are down, neurodevelopmental or mental health conditions are up, especially among children from more affluent families.
undetected bias. In what way and what’s your basis for that assessment?
HOUTROW: There’s quite a bit of literature that supports the idea that the way physicians and health care providers approach families differs in terms of what the family brings to the table and the encounter. So a family from a more affluent background is able to articulate their concerns and their needs in a different way. That might raise the suspicion of the doctor to look for the condition, to make a diagnosis and recommend treatment. On the flipside, a family who is less affluent might not bring to the attention of the provider in the same way, nor may the provider ask the questions that would lead them down the path of making a diagnosis of a developmental problem or mental health problem.
original paper:
Changing Trends of Childhood Disability, 2001–2011
Pediatrics. 2014 Aug 18. pii: peds.2014-0594.
Amy J. Houtrow, MD, PhD, MPH, et al.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2014/08/12/peds.2014-0594.abstract
CONCLUSIONS: Over the past decade, parent-reported childhood disability steadily increased. As childhood disability due to physical conditions declined, there was a large increase in disabilities due to neurodevelopmental or mental health problems. For the first time since the NHIS began tracking childhood disability in 1957, the rise in reported prevalence is disproportionately occurring among socially advantaged families. This unexpected finding highlights the need to better understand the social, medical, and environmental factors influencing parent reports of childhood disability.
Key Words: disability
sociodemographic
disparities
activity limitations
children