Abstract
BackgroundA strong primary care system is vital to overall health. Research on the primary care of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has mostly focused on children. A synthesis of the existing literature related to the quality of primary care for the adult population with ASD would elucidate what is known about the topic as well as inform future research and clinical practice.ObjectiveThe purpose of our scoping review is to describe what is known about the quality of primary care for adults with ASD and identify knowledge gaps.MethodsPrior to beginning the literature search, we reviewed literature related to defining both primary care and primary care quality to establish the context and concept of the research question. The search strategy was designed and executed by a research librarian. The MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses databases were searched for relevant literature. Grey literature will include relevant reports from government websites and associations with a focus on ASD. Two members of the research team will independently screen the academic and grey literature. Quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods study designs involving the quality of primary care services or patient-centered care for adults with ASD are eligible for inclusion in our scoping review. Studies that make it past the full-text review will undergo data extraction and quality appraisal by 2 independent reviewers. The data extraction results will be presented in a tabular format to clearly present what is known about the quality of primary care for adults with ASD; this table will be accompanied by a narrative synthesis. Literature selected for extraction will be coded for themes, which will form the basis of a thematic synthesis. The scoping review will follow the guidance proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute.ResultsThe search of electronic databases was conducted in October 2020, and it returned 2820 results. This research is still in progress. The results from our scoping review are expected to be available by fall 2021.ConclusionsThe results from our scoping review will be useful for guiding future research on the quality of primary care for adults with ASD.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/28196
Highlights
BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) was first described in 1943 by Kanner [1]
Prior to beginning the literature search, we reviewed literature related to defining both primary care and primary care quality to establish the context and concept of the research question
Quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods study designs involving the quality of primary care services or patient-centered care for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are eligible for inclusion in our scoping review
Summary
BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) was first described in 1943 by Kanner [1]. In terms of presentation, ASD symptoms fall along a spectrum but often involve deficits in reciprocal social interaction and communication as well as the presence of restrictive and repetitive behaviors [2,3]. There is little known about how ASD in adulthood is managed within the adult primary care system. This represents a significant gap in the literature, as people with ASD have a high number of physical and psychiatric comorbidities, which may worsen as they continue to age [5]. The existing literature on the primary care of adults with ASD must be examined to guide future research in this field. Research on the primary care of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has mostly focused on children. A synthesis of the existing literature related to the quality of primary care for the adult population with ASD would elucidate what is known about the topic as well as inform future research and clinical practice
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