The Meaning of Autism Friendly in Hospital Settings: A Scoping Review of the Autism Community's Perspectives.
Sarah C G Davenport, Mohammed Alshawsh, Cameron Lee and 4 others
PMID 40106125WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic patients and families identified three key areas for hospital care: people, place, and time.
Staff communication and autism-specific training were critical. Flexible environments that reduce sensory overload and shorter wait times helped. Rigid systems and lack of preparation created barriers.
Key findings
01Communication was the most commonly identified facilitator, seen in all 15 studies, while poor communication created frustration.
02Sensory accommodations improved the hospital experience in 11 studies, but rigid environments that failed to accommodate sensory preferences were barriers in 12 studies.
03There is currently no clear definition of 'autism friendly' in hospital settings, despite widespread use of the term.
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 majority of autistic voices were represented by parents or carers (96%), with only 33 direct patient voices included. Most studies did not report individual demographics or autism characteristics, making it difficult to determine the breadth of the autism spectrum represented. The review found no clear definition of 'autism friendly' in the existing literature, highlighting a gap in current evidence. Grey literature screening was performed by a single reviewer, which may introduce bias.
Declared interests
The study was funded by Monash University. No other conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that the identified barriers and facilitators apply equally to all autistic patients, as the study relied heavily on parent/carer reports rather than direct patient voices. Additionally, the lack of a standardised definition for 'autism friendly' means these findings are descriptive themes rather than validated clinical protocols.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →