Mapping Meaningful Populations of Children With Special Health Care Needs

What distinct policy-relevant subpopulations exist within the large and heterogeneous population of children and youth with special health care needs (SHCN)?In this cross-sectional study including 72 854 845 children and youth with special health care needs, using nationally representative National Survey of Children’s Health data, latent class analysis identified 4 SHCN classes: low intensity, developmental and behavioral impacts, dynamic, and complex. Classes differed significantly in sociodemographic characteristics and expert-identified, high-impact health indicators considered amenable to policy and program intervention.Children and youth with SHCN are a heterogeneous population composed of identifiable subpopulations with unique characteristics and health indicators; to improve population health for children and youth with SHCN, policies and programs may require tailoring to the unique needs of specific subpopulations.

Corresponding Author: Ryan J. Coller, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, 600 Highland Ave, H4/410, Madison, WI 53792 (rcoller@pediatrics.wisc.edu).

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