The role of communication in access to healthcare for autistic adults

The proposed project aims to investigate barriers faced by autistic people when accessing healthcare, a current policy and research priority (Brice et al. 2021; DHSC and DfE 2021; Welsh Government 2021). This will be done by exploring the policies and training which try to tackle access, symptom and pain reporting by autistic adults and compare these to actual practices by healthcare professionals and autistic adults' experiences. A range of methods, including creative and visual methods will be used during the interviews such as symbol exchange, caregiver assisted interviews and visual-verbal prompts previously used in research with autistic adults. During the interview the student demonstrated knowledge of previous empirical research that overcame potential ethical issues through appropriate access requests and appropriate post-interview support for participants. The project aims to propose a theoretical model of the role of communication in healthcare access for autistic people.