Views about Primary Care health checks for autistic adults: UK survey findings

Mason, David, Taylor, Helen, Ingham, Barry, Finch, Tracy, Wilson, Colin, Scarlett, Clare, Urbanowicz, Anna, Nicolaidis, Christina, Lennox, Nicholas, Moss, Sebastian, Buckley, Carole, Sally-Ann, Cooper, Osborne, Malcom, Garland, Deborah, Raymaker, Dora and Parr, Jeremy R. (2022) Views about Primary Care health checks for autistic adults: UK survey findings. BJGP Open, 6 (4). BJGPO.2022.0067. ISSN 2398-3795

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Abstract

Background Compared with the general population, autistic adults experience higher rates of physical and mental health conditions, premature morbidity and mortality, and barriers to health care. A health check for autistic people may improve their health outcomes.

Aim To establish the views of autistic people towards a primary care health check for autistic people.

Design & setting Cross-sectional questionnaire study in England and Wales.

Method A questionnaire was sent to autistic adults with physical health conditions in England and Wales. A total of 458 people (441 autistic adults and 17 proxy responders) completed the questionnaire.

Results Most responders (73.4%, n = 336) thought a health check is needed for all autistic people. Around half of the participants thought a health check should be offered from childhood and the health check appointment should last between 15 and 30 minutes. Autistic people were positive about providing primary care staff with contextual information regarding their health and the reasonable adjustments they would like before their health check appointment. Training about autism and the health check was considered important, alongside adequate time for discussions in the health check appointment (all by over 70% of responders). The clinician’s autism knowledge, seeing a familiar clinician, environmental adaptations, appropriate information, and accessible appointments were considered particularly important in making a health check accessible.

Conclusion Autistic people and relatives were supportive of a primary care health check for autistic people. Information gathered was used to support the design of a primary care health check for autistic adults.

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