# Identifying Co-Occurrence and Service Use Profiles of Alzheimer's Disease and Autism Spectrum Disorder

> **NIH NIH R01** · DREXEL UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $375,147

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT
The proposed administrative supplement will enable the first national study of the prevalence, incidence, and
healthcare service use of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Alzheimer’s disease and related
dementias (ADRD). ASD and ADRD are both associated with high and increasing costs of care in the U.S.,
and conflicting evidence has pointed to areas of clinical and treatment overlap in the diagnoses. We will
capture the first large, national cohort of individuals with ASD and ADRD to investigate prevalence and
incidence of co-occurrence and specific treatment and service use, in order to shed light on patterns of
comorbidity and treatment. This key evidence will be relevant to policies regarding necessary services and
supports. We propose to use 2008-2016 national Medicaid and Medicare claims data to identify individuals
with co-occurring ASD and ADRD ages 30 and over, followed through the 8-year study period. Medicaid
houses several robust mechanisms to provide care to individuals with ASD and ADRD but is the payer of last
resort among federal insurers. Medicare covers 44 million Americans and, in addition to being available to all
individuals once they turn 65, is available to adults under the age of 65 who have received Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI) for at least 24 months. Individuals with ASD and ADRD are likely to meet criteria to
receive services in both systems, as both diagnoses are SSDI-included condition categories and examining
healthcare service use across both systems is essential to fully evaluating costs of care. Given the recent
increase in prevalence of ASD and growth in costs of care for ADRD, we will first focus on establishing the
incidence and prevalence of ASD and ADRD, annually and for the overall study period, as well as relevant
subgroup differences (e.g., by sex, co-occurring intellectual disability, age of onset of ADRD). Second, we will
compare healthcare service use among individuals who are identified with ASD and ADRD in the Medicaid and
Medicare claims. We will examine differences in the type and quantity of ambulatory, inpatient, and residential
services, with attention to relevant sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and potential gaps in care.
Completion of this study will provide information needed to establish a service system that is poised to serve
adults with ASD and ADRD as they age and will contribute substantively to the knowledge base on the clinical
profile of older adults with ASD and ADRD who are in need of services and supports.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10123471
- **Project number:** 3R01MH117653-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** DREXEL UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Lindsay Lawer Shea
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $375,147
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10123471

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10123471, Identifying Co-Occurrence and Service Use Profiles of Alzheimer's Disease and Autism Spectrum Disorder (3R01MH117653-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10123471. Licensed CC0.

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