"It Was Surprisingly Equivalent to the Appointment I Had in Person": Advantages and Disadvantages of Synchronous Telehealth for Delivering Primary Care for Autistic Adults

Autor/inn/en	Harris, Lauren; Gilmore, Daniel; Hanks, Christopher; Coury, Daniel; Moffatt-Bruce, Susan; Garvin, Jennifer H.; Hand, Brittany N.
Titel	"It Was Surprisingly Equivalent to the Appointment I Had in Person": Advantages and Disadvantages of Synchronous Telehealth for Delivering Primary Care for Autistic Adults
Quelle	In: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 26 (2022) 6, S.1573-1580 (8 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Harris, Lauren) ORCID (Gilmore, Daniel) ORCID (Coury, Daniel) ORCID (Garvin, Jennifer H.) ORCID (Hand, Brittany N.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1362-3613
DOI	10.1177/13623613211060589
Schlagwörter	Autism Spectrum Disorders; Primary Health Care; Videoconferencing; Barriers; Access to Health Care; Synchronous Communication; Adults; Caregivers; Program Effectiveness; Patients; Attitudes + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Autism; Autismus; Gesundheitsvorsorge; Caregiver; Carer; Betreuungsperson; Pfleger; Patient; Attitude; Einstellung; Verhalten
Abstract	Autistic adults experience barriers to primary care, including distant/inaccessible clinics, sensory stressors, and communication barriers with providers. Synchronous telehealth visits, termed "virtual visits," may be a way to minimize these barriers. We investigated the advantages and disadvantages of primary care virtual visits using a phenomenological approach. We interviewed autistic adults (n = 7) and caregivers of autistic adults (n = 12) from one primary care clinic. Using thematic analysis, we identified three advantages to virtual visits: (1) increased patient comfort from avoiding travel to the clinic, crowded waiting rooms, and other sensory stressors; (2) increased safety by avoiding physical contact with others who may be sick; and (3) similar or better patient--provider communication than in-person visits. Disadvantages included the following: (1) Internet instability and other technological issues, (2) the inability to receive hands-on care from the provider, and (3) reduced patient engagement due to environmental distractions. Virtual visits may minimize barriers to care for autistic adults by reducing travel time, exposure to sensory stressors, and barriers to communication with the provider. While we recognize that virtual visits may not be appropriate for all patients or in all situations, they may be a promising model of health care delivery for autistic adults. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01