Brief Report: Factors Influencing Healthcare Satisfaction in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Adults with autism over 26 report lower healthcare satisfaction and less family help—so build extra support into their care plan.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers sent a short survey to the adults with autism. They asked how happy each person felt about their doctors, dentists, and other health visits.
The team also asked about age and family help. They split the group at 26 years to see if younger and older adults answered differently.
What they found
Most adults gave their healthcare a high score. The under-the group was even happier and said they got more help from parents or siblings.
Adults over 26 gave lower scores and said they had less family support.
How this fits with other research
Yarar et al. (2022) asked similar age groups about quality of life. They found younger autistic adults feel more anxiety and lower social quality of life. The two studies look opposite at first: H et al. say younger adults are happier with care, Zıvralı et al. say they feel worse inside. The gap makes sense—feeling anxious does not stop you from liking a kind doctor.
Leader et al. (2021) showed sleep and stomach problems drag down quality of life. Their work adds a clue: older adults may give lower satisfaction scores partly because they have more untreated health issues.
Hamama et al. (2021) showed telehealth autism evaluations work for adults. That option could raise satisfaction for clients who lose family help after 26.
Why it matters
If you serve adults with ASD, ask clients over 26 who helps them book or explain visits. When the answer is “no one,” offer a support plan: teach appointment scripts, share telehealth links, or loop in a trusted friend. A small boost in support can keep satisfaction high as clients age.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The current study investigated healthcare satisfaction and factors related to satisfaction in 92 adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Participants or their caregiver completed a survey about their experiences with primary care and specialty physicians. Respondents reported a high level of satisfaction with their healthcare. The only factor significantly associated with satisfaction was age, with participants under age 26 reporting significantly higher levels of satisfaction than participants above age 26. Participants under age 26 also were significantly more likely to live at home, have private health insurance, and have others making their healthcare decisions than participants above age 26. Results indicate that healthcare satisfaction can be high for adults with ASD that have good family and community support.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2017 · doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3087-3