Leveraging Feedback From Autistic Adults to Develop an App to Access Healthcare Services

Abstract Autistic individuals are more likely to have co-occurring healthcare conditions and experience a cascade of health disparities compared to those that are not autistic. While ample research continues to be conducted to decrease these disparities, it is often done without the input from autistic individuals. In this qualitative study, we interviewed 15 autistic participants to explore how a healthcare services app could be adapted for autistic adults. Overall, participants agreed that a healthcare services app specific to autistic adults could be beneficial. In addition, participants provided feedback on healthcare services, filter options, and software features to include in the app. Participants reported what they found to be most valuable within a healthcare services app prototype designed for autistic adults, such as having all healthcare information in one place, receiving support when seeking accommodations from healthcare providers, and accessing resources. Implications for research and practice are discussed.