Early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children facilitates the provision of services and enhances opportunities for improving functioning via intervention. To date, limited studies have examined whether age of ASD diagnosis is associated with components of care of the patient-centered medical home (PCMH), a model of health care that emphasizes centralized, accessible, and coordinated care. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the associations between components of the PCMH and age of ASD diagnosis while controlling for associated clinical and socio-demographic factors, in a national sample of children 17 years and younger with ASD. The present study was a cross-sectional, observational study. Participants were caregivers of 1,193 children ages with ASD from the 2020 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was run with age of ASD diagnosis as the criterion variable in two regression models. The binary composite medical home proxy variable was investigated as well as the five individual medical home components (usual source of care, personal doctor or nurse, family-centered care, care coordination, able to obtain referrals when needed). In the first regression analysis, the overall PCMH proxy variable was significantly correlated with the age of ASD diagnosis (standardized beta coefficient = −.08; p < .01). Of the five components of the PCMH assessed in the second regression model, only usual source of sick care was significantly associated with the age of ASD diagnosis (standardized beta coefficient = −.11; p < .01). Having a usual source of sick care may be an important factor in receiving an earlier ASD diagnosis for children and adolescents.

儿童自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 的早期诊断有助于提供服务并增加通过干预改善功能的机会。迄今为止，有限的研究探讨了 ASD 诊断年龄是否与以患者为中心的医疗之家 (PCMH) 的护理组成部分相关，PCMH 是一种强调集中、可及和协调护理的医疗保健模式。本研究的目的是在全国 17 岁及以下 ASD 儿童样本中评估 PCMH 组成部分与 ASD 诊断年龄之间的关联，同时控制相关的临床和社会人口因素。本研究是一项横断面观察性研究。参与者是 2020 年全国儿童健康调查 (NSCH) 中 1,193 名患有自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 儿童的照顾者。在两个回归模型中，以 ASD 诊断年龄作为标准变量进行分层多元线性回归分析。研究了二元复合医疗之家代理变量以及五个单独的医疗之家组成部分（通常的护理来源、私人医生或护士、以家庭为中心的护理、护理协调、能够在需要时获得转诊）。在第一个回归分析中，总体 PCMH 代理变量与 ASD 诊断年龄显着相关（标准化 beta 系数 = -.08； p < .01）。在第二个回归模型中评估的 PCMH 的五个组成部分中，只有常用的疾病护理来源与 ASD 诊断年龄显着相关（标准化 beta 系数 = -.11； p < .01）。拥有常规的疾病护理来源可能是儿童和青少年早期获得自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 诊断的一个重要因素。