{"title":"Barriers and Facilitators of Healthcare Access for Autistic Children in the UK: a Systematic Review","authors":"Tonia Babalola, Giulia Sanguedolce, Lucy Dipper, Nicola Botting","doi":"10.1007/s40489-023-00420-3","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Background</h3><p>Individuals with autism are more likely to suffer from various physical and mental health problems and experience disparities in effectively accessing healthcare services. This review aims to identify studies that report on the experiences of autistic children, their parents/carers, and the healthcare professionals treating them; to develop an understanding of the facilitators and barriers to healthcare access in order to inform policies and practice to improve access to healthcare for autistic children in the UK.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Methods</h3><p>A total of 3069 records were screened, and 24 studies were included; six quantitative, four qualitative, and fourteen mixed-methodology studies.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Results</h3><p>Professional and parental knowledge about autism, sensory issues, challenging behaviour, system-level barriers, patient-provider-parent communication issues, lack of person-centred care, stigma, and culture emerged as significant barriers to accessing healthcare for autistic children.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Conclusions</h3><p>Families of autistic children experience several barriers to accessing healthcare. Recommendations for those planning services and clinicians are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":46647,"journal":{"name":"Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-023-00420-3","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Individuals with autism are more likely to suffer from various physical and mental health problems and experience disparities in effectively accessing healthcare services. This review aims to identify studies that report on the experiences of autistic children, their parents/carers, and the healthcare professionals treating them; to develop an understanding of the facilitators and barriers to healthcare access in order to inform policies and practice to improve access to healthcare for autistic children in the UK.
Methods
A total of 3069 records were screened, and 24 studies were included; six quantitative, four qualitative, and fourteen mixed-methodology studies.
Results
Professional and parental knowledge about autism, sensory issues, challenging behaviour, system-level barriers, patient-provider-parent communication issues, lack of person-centred care, stigma, and culture emerged as significant barriers to accessing healthcare for autistic children.
Conclusions
Families of autistic children experience several barriers to accessing healthcare. Recommendations for those planning services and clinicians are discussed.
期刊介绍:
The Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders publishes original articles that provide critical reviews of topics across the broad interdisciplinary research fields of autism spectrum disorders. Topics range from basic to applied and include but are not limited to genetics, neuroscience, diagnosis, applied behavior analysis, psychopharmacology, incidence, prevalence, etiology, differential diagnosis, treatment, measurement of treatment effects, education, perception and cognition. Topics across the life span are appropriate. In addition, given the high rates of comorbid conditions, the interface of sleep disorders, feeding problems, motor difficulties, ADHD, anxiety, depression and other disorders with autism spectrum disorders are appropriate. The Journal aims for an international audience as reflected in the editorial board.