SRFP083: Quality of primary care for the adult population with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): A scoping review

Shannon Aylward, MSc; Anna Walsh, BSc, MSc; Roger Chafe

Abstract

Context: A strong primary care system is vital to overall health. Research around the primary care of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is mostly focused on children. As ASD is a lifelong condition, individuals diagnosed with ASD will inevitably encounter the adult primary care system. The core features of ASD involve difficulty with social interaction and communication, which can complicate the receipt of medical care. A synthesis of the existing literature related to the quality of primary care for the adult population with ASD will elucidate what is known about the topic as well as inform future research and clinical practice. Objective: The purpose of this scoping review is to describe what is known about the quality of primary care for adults with ASD and identify knowledge gaps. Design: Using the guidance proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute, a scoping review was undertaken to synthesize the existing literature. Method: The search strategy was designed and executed by a research librarian. The Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Proquest Dissertations and Thesis databases were searched for relevant literature. No time limit or language restrictions were applied. Grey literature from government websites and associations with a focus on ASD were also searched. This scoping review included literature with an assessment of primary care quality (primary care services or patient-centredness) for adults (aged 18 years or older) with ASD, who received health care from a primary care clinician (family physician, general practitioner, internist, or advanced practice nurse) in a primary care setting (clinic or home visit). Results: After removing duplicates, the search yielded 2,827 articles, of which 38 were selected for full-text review by 2 independent reviewers. Finally, 4 articles were retained for data extraction and quality appraisal. Included studies were appraised using the 2018 version of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). This research is still in progress; the next phase of the research will involve a thematic synthesis of the included literature. Results will be presented at the 2021 NAPCRG conference. Conclusions: Limited studies focused on this important issue. The results from this scoping review may guide future research on the quality of primary care for adults with ASD.
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Dennis Baumgardner, MD
11/19/2021

Important topic - thanks!

Jack Westfall
jwestfall@aafp.org 11/21/2021

This is a very important topic and research study. Nice work. Thanks

Diane Harper
harperdi@med.umich.edu 11/22/2021

How do you think a scoping review is as a methodology? Do you see pros and cons? Present your results in Phoenix next year! Thank you for sharing your work with NAPCRG!

Lauren Oshman
laoshman@med.umich.edu 11/22/2021

Looking forward to your results next year!

Andy Pasternak
avpiv711@sbcglobal.net 11/28/2021

Very, very important topic and one I see a lot as a practicing doc. Great work

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