To examine barriers to timely autism diagnosis for Latine children from families with limited English proficiency and identify strategies to adapt diagnostic care models.
Approach:
Study Design: Participatory mixed-methods study involving surveys and qualitative interviews or focus groups with caregivers, clinicians, and care coordinators.
Key Findings:
Significant lag between caregivers' first developmental concern and diagnosis.
Limited autism knowledge among caregivers and clinicians.
Systemic barriers include language discordance, interpreter inaccuracies, cultural stigma, and long waitlists.
Caregivers experience social isolation, mistrust of health systems, and emotional distress due to immigration-related stressors.
Interpretation:
The findings highlight the need for structural adaptation of autism diagnostic care approaches beyond mere translation services.
Limitations:
Study focused on a specific demographic in Indiana, which may limit generalizability.
Potential biases in self-reported data from caregivers and clinicians.
Conclusion:
There is a critical need for improved understanding of barriers to autism diagnostic care for Spanish-speaking Latine children to develop equitable models.
by Ann Marie Martin, Gisela Perez, Elizabeth Frances Battle, Aaliyah Saunders, Stephanie Pozuelos, Mary Ciccarelli, Angela Paxton, Carrie Leathers, Rebecca McNally Keehn
Systematic review of 8 observational studies found limited evidence on associations between prenatal asthma-medication exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes, with autism spectrum disorder the only outcome suitable for meta-analysis.
