Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33767375›Full record

ReviewPediatric research2022

Tackling healthcare access barriers for individuals with autism from diagnosis to adulthood.

Natasha Malik-Soni, Andrew Shaker, Helen Luck, Anne E Mullin, Ryan E Wiley, M E Suzanne Lewis, Joaquin Fuentes, Thomas W Frazier

Open access · hybridAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Pediatric research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 147 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
147citing papers in PubMed, 9 pooled it
20.0field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

147 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 260 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Artificial Intelligence Methods in Early Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A DSM-5 Criterion-Based Systematic Review.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2026
    Pooled it
  3. Autistic Traits and Camouflaging: A Meta-Analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practice · 2026
    Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Oral care interventions for autistic individuals: A systematic review.Autism : the international journal of research and practice · 2025
    Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Factors influencing oral health behaviours, access and delivery of dental care for autistic children and adolescents: A mixed-methods systematic review.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2022
    Pooled it
  9. Pooled it
  10. Trial
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Through Parents' Eyes: Perspectives on Child Development and Family Experience During ESDM Intervention.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2026
    Article
  14. Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Among Youth With Autism and ADHD: A Population-Based Study From Sweden.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2026
    Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article

87 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Natasha Malik-SoniShift Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Andrew ShakerShift Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Helen LuckShift Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Anne E MullinShift Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Ryan E WileyShift Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
M E Suzanne LewisDepartment of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Joaquin FuentesChild and Adolescent Psychiatry Service, Policlínica Gipuzkoa and GAUTENA Autism Society, Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
Thomas W FrazierAutism Speaks, New York, NY, USA. tfrazier@jcu.edu.
Autism Speaks · USMcMaster University · CAPoliclínica Gipuzkoa · ESUniversity of British Columbia · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Most individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-a complex, life-long developmental disorder-do not have access to the care required to address their diverse health needs. Here, we review: (1) common barriers to healthcare access (shortage/cost of services; physician awareness; stigma); (2) barriers encountered primarily during childhood (limited screening/diagnosis; unclear referral pathways), transition to adulthood (insufficient healthcare transition services; suboptimal physician awareness of healthcare needs) and adulthood (shortage of services/limited insurance; communication difficulties with physicians; limited awareness of healthcare needs of aging adults); and (3) advances in research/program development for better healthcare access. A robust understanding of barriers to accessing healthcare across the lifespan of autistic individuals is critical to ensuring the best use of healthcare resources to improve social, physical, and mental health outcomes. Stakeholders must strengthen healthcare service provision by coming together to: better understand healthcare needs of underserved populations; strengthen medical training on care of autistic individuals; increase public awareness of ASD; promote research into/uptake of tools for ASD screening, diagnosis, and treatment; understand specific healthcare needs of autistic individuals in lower resource countries; and conduct longitudinal studies to understand the lifetime health, social, and economic impacts of ASD and enable the evaluation of novel approaches to increasing healthcare access. IMPACT: Despite the growing body of evidence, our understanding of barriers to healthcare encountered by individuals with ASD remains limited, particularly beyond childhood and in lower resource countries. We describe current and emerging barriers to healthcare access encountered by individuals with ASD across the lifespan. We recommend that stakeholders develop evidence-informed policies, programs, and technologies that address barriers to healthcare access for individuals with ASD and consider broad, equitable implementation to maximize impact.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderAutistic DisorderTransition to Adult CareAdultCommunicationHealth Services AccessibilityHumans

Identifiers

PMID33767375
PMCPMC7993081
OpenAlexW3136657450

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.