Bridging the Gap: Barriers to Access Autism Support for Immigrant and Refugee Communities in Canada and the United States.
Hasina Amanzai, Angelina Stafford, Betty Qiuxuan Wang and 7 others
PMID 42046274WHAT IT FOUND
Immigrant families faced language barriers and financial constraints most often, followed by culturally incongruent services and long wait times.
Interpreters without autism knowledge still left communication incomplete. Bilingual, autism-trained providers and funded navigation support are needed.
Key findings
01Language barriers and financial constraints were the most frequently reported barriers across the included studies.
02Even when interpreters were available, limited autism-specific knowledge sometimes resulted in incomplete communication.
03Some clinicians discouraged bilingualism at home, incorrectly suggesting that exposure to two languages would hinder development.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only English-language studies were included, which may have excluded relevant findings from other languages. The review covered only Canada and the United States, so findings do not apply to low- and middle-income countries. Refugee families were underrepresented, with only one study briefly including them and none examining refugee-specific barriers in depth. Certain ethnocultural groups appeared only once, limiting conclusions about their experiences. Several barriers, including limited health literacy and immigration status concerns, were reported in only one or two studies. The review maps barriers but does not test whether any specific intervention reduces them.
Declared interests
Not reported in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this review as evidence that any specific intervention improves access for immigrant families. It maps barriers but does not test solutions. Also, do not assume that having an interpreter solves communication problems. The review found that interpreters without autism-specific knowledge still left communication incomplete.