A community-engaged approach to examining barriers and facilitators to accessing autism services in Korean immigrant families.
Vanessa C Fong, Bo Sang Lee, Grace Iarocci
PMID 34286622WHAT IT FOUND
Korean immigrant parents described barriers to autism services including long waitlists, school dismissals, and stigma.
They valued family-centered care, bilingual providers, and community organizations. These findings highlight specific communication and navigation needs for therapists working with this population.
Key findings
01Parents identified system barriers like long diagnostic waitlists and school policies requiring parents to pick up children for behavioral issues, which often led to job loss.
02Provider-related barriers included a lack of qualified staff, negative attitudes, and insufficient guidance, while facilitators included bilingual professionals and cultural competence.
03Family and cultural barriers involved language difficulties, out-of-pocket costs, and stigma, whereas informal support networks and cultural community organizations served as key facilitators.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (20 participants). The majority of respondents were mothers, which may limit the generalizability of findings to fathers or other caregivers. Participants were recruited from a single community organization, so the views may not represent families who are less connected to community resources.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The research was funded by SFU’s Community-Engaged Research Initiative, the BC SUPPORT Unit, SSHRC, and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these themes as evidence that specific interventions work or fail. This study describes parents' experiences and perceptions of barriers and facilitators, not the efficacy of any treatment or service model.