Barriers to Healthcare for Latinx Autistic Children and Adolescents.

The study only included families whose children had already received an ASD diagnosis, so it does not capture barriers faced by families struggling to get a diagnosis in the first place. Participants were all members of one integrated health system (Kaiser Permanente), which may have better resources and care coordination than other systems, limiting generalizability. Response bias is possible, as caregivers who are more engaged with the healthcare system may have been more likely to complete the survey than those facing the greatest barriers. The study did not have complete data on the functional severity of the children's autism, so it could not determine if severity levels influenced service use or barriers differently across groups.

The study was funded by Kaiser Permanente, the healthcare system from which the participants were recruited.

Do not assume that Spanish-speaking families have lower service utilization because they do not want therapy. The data shows they face distinct barriers: they are less likely to know services exist or how to access them, and they have lower digital access. Commercially insured families, conversely, are more likely to be blocked by cost. Tailor your outreach: explain availability and access steps clearly to Spanish speakers, and discuss cost/co-pay assistance with commercially insured families.