Brief Report: Healthcare Providers' Discussions Regarding Transportation and Driving with Autistic and Non-autistic Patients

Objective To characterize healthcare and behavioral service providers' transportation-related discussions with their autistic and non-autistic patients. Method 78 providers completed a cross-sectional survey assessing their transportation discussions with patients. We used Mann-Whitney U tests and chi-square tests to compare differences in provider reports by patient diagnosis. Results Compared with one in two providers who reported they discuss transportation with non-autistic patients, only one in five have these conversations with their autistic patients. Few (8%) providers felt prepared to assess driving readiness in autistic patients, yet only a quarter refer patients elsewhere. Conclusion There is a critical need to develop resources for use in medical settings to effectively support autistic adolescents' independence and mobility as they transition into adulthood.
Author(s): Emma B. Sartin [sup.1] , Rachel K. Myers [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , Christina G. Labows [sup.1] , Kristina B. Metzger [sup.1] , Meghan E. Carey [sup.1] [sup.10] , Benjamin [...]