Developmental Rehabilitation in Children With Autism: Utilization and Economic Burden in South Korea
Author(s)
Jeonghyeon Park, PharmD1, Seong-Jung Kim, PharmD1, Dong-Won Kang, PharmD, PhD2, EUI-KYUNG LEE, RPh, PhD1.
1School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea, Republic of, 2College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea, Republic of.
1School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea, Republic of, 2College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea, Republic of.
OBJECTIVES: Developmental rehabilitation therapy is essential for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet substantial financial burdens and constrained support restrict access. This study aimed to examine the utilization and treatment-related expenditures associated with developmental rehabilitation therapy for children with ASD in South Korea, in order to inform the development of more effective support strategies.
METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in November 2024, targeting caregivers of children under 18 years diagnosed with ASD. Caregivers whose child had received developmental rehabilitation therapy within the past three months were included in the final analysis. The survey collected information on characteristics of both caregivers and children, therapy utilization patterns, and monthly expenditures, including out-of-pocket costs, public subsidies, and private insurance coverage. Descriptive statistics were utilized to summarize the data, and generalized linear models with a gamma distribution were employed in order to identify factors associated with monthly costs.
RESULTS: Of the 144 participants, speech therapy was the most commonly utilized service (n=69, 47.9%), followed by art therapy (n=38, 26.4%) and play therapy (n=29, 20.1%). Patients received an average of 1.5 to 2.3 sessions per week across therapy types, with applied behavior analysis being the most frequently utilized. The average monthly cost of therapy was US$ 491.3, with 75.8% paid out-of-pocket, and government subsidies and private insurance accounting for 17.3% and 6.9%, respectively. Younger age and greater disability severity were significantly associated with higher monthly costs. A total of 68.8% of caregivers reported plans to discontinue therapy, most commonly citing financial burden.
CONCLUSIONS: Many caregivers of children with ASD encounter challenges in maintaining access to developmental rehabilitation therapy due to financial constraints and high out-of-pocket costs. Continued policy efforts are required to alleviate cost burdens and ensure more stable access to essential services.
METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in November 2024, targeting caregivers of children under 18 years diagnosed with ASD. Caregivers whose child had received developmental rehabilitation therapy within the past three months were included in the final analysis. The survey collected information on characteristics of both caregivers and children, therapy utilization patterns, and monthly expenditures, including out-of-pocket costs, public subsidies, and private insurance coverage. Descriptive statistics were utilized to summarize the data, and generalized linear models with a gamma distribution were employed in order to identify factors associated with monthly costs.
RESULTS: Of the 144 participants, speech therapy was the most commonly utilized service (n=69, 47.9%), followed by art therapy (n=38, 26.4%) and play therapy (n=29, 20.1%). Patients received an average of 1.5 to 2.3 sessions per week across therapy types, with applied behavior analysis being the most frequently utilized. The average monthly cost of therapy was US$ 491.3, with 75.8% paid out-of-pocket, and government subsidies and private insurance accounting for 17.3% and 6.9%, respectively. Younger age and greater disability severity were significantly associated with higher monthly costs. A total of 68.8% of caregivers reported plans to discontinue therapy, most commonly citing financial burden.
CONCLUSIONS: Many caregivers of children with ASD encounter challenges in maintaining access to developmental rehabilitation therapy due to financial constraints and high out-of-pocket costs. Continued policy efforts are required to alleviate cost burdens and ensure more stable access to essential services.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
SA33
Topic
Economic Evaluation, Study Approaches
Topic Subcategory
Surveys & Expert Panels
Disease
Mental Health (including addition), Pediatrics