Access to Healthcare: Addressing Barriers for Autistic Patients

As the collective awareness of neurodiversity continues to grow in the world of western medicine, there has been an increase in recognition of the autistic population. Estimates suggest that around 1% of individuals identify as autistic (Dückert et al., 2023). Despite this noteworthy portion of the population belonging to this category, there continues to be a lack of consistent awareness and equitable access to health services regarding the needs of autistic individuals. One common challenge in healthcare is communication barriers with autistic patients, which may arise from difficulties in expressing emotions or conveying information effectively (Greenwood et al., 2023). This study seeks to explore the role that autism awareness at the professional level among nurses and other healthcare professionals (HCPs) plays in enhancing patient care and satisfaction, particularly for autistic patients. Ultimately, this study questions how healthcare can more equitably serve autistic patients when considering the barriers they face in a healthcare setting.