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Validation of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnoses in Large Healthcare Systems with Electronic Medical Records

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Abstract

To identify factors associated with valid Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses from electronic sources in large healthcare systems. We examined 1,272 charts from ASD diagnosed youth <18 years old. Expert reviewers classified diagnoses as confirmed, probable, possible, ruled out, or not enough information. A total of 845 were classified with 81 % as a confirmed, probable, or possible ASD diagnosis. The predictors of valid ASD diagnoses were >2 diagnoses in the medical record (OR 2.94; 95 % CI 2.03–4.25; p < 0.001) and being male (OR 1.51; 95 % CI 1.05–2.17; p = 0.03). In large integrated healthcare settings, at least two diagnoses can be used to identify ASD patients for population-based research.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH# U19 MH092201).

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Correspondence to Karen J. Coleman.

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Coleman, K.J., Lutsky, M.A., Yau, V. et al. Validation of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnoses in Large Healthcare Systems with Electronic Medical Records. J Autism Dev Disord 45, 1989–1996 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2358-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2358-0

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