Mansour, Hassan;
(2024)
'It's designed for someone who is not me': Reflexive thematic analysis of the healthcare experiences of autistic older adults living in the UK.
Doctoral thesis (D.Clin.Psy), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
There is evidence to suggest that autistic individuals are more likely to experience physical and mental health difficulties throughout their lives, leading to an increased risk of mortality due to health inequalities (Hand et al., 2020; Rydzewska et al., 2019; Bishop-Fitzpatrick & Kind, 2017; Hirvikoski et al., 2016). While studies have explored the healthcare experiences of younger and middle-aged autistic adults, there is a lack of research on the experiences of autistic older adults aged 65 years or over (Mason et al., 2019; Walsh et al., 2020; Sonido et al., 2020). To address this gap, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 autistic older adults aged 65 years or over and one carer for an autistic older adult aged 68 years with a moderate co-occurring intellectual disability. Participants were interviewed about their experiences of accessing healthcare services in the UK. Reflexive thematic analysis helped co-construct four themes that include the impact of lived experiences on healthcare access challenges, the influence of system and service-level changes, the intersectionality between ageing and autism, and vital policy and practice recommendations. Overall findings suggest that autistic older adults encounter distinct healthcare challenges, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic and economic uncertainties. Current services often neglect their lifelong struggles with autism-related issues. Participants expressed concerns about age-related decline and reduced social support. To address these challenges, a comprehensive approach is needed that encompasses policy changes, healthcare adjustments, and improved staff training. Implementing these recommendations and further research is vital to improving the healthcare experiences of neurodivergent and ageing populations.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | D.Clin.Psy |
| Title: | 'It's designed for someone who is not me': Reflexive thematic analysis of the healthcare experiences of autistic older adults living in the UK |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2024. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10185284 |
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