Disturbi dello spettro autistico e accesso ai servizi sanitari per le famiglie immigrate

Migrant families often have worse health conditions due to difficulties in access and engagement in healthcare services. Children from migrant backgrounds with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are typically diagnosed at a later age than non-migrante children, and those whose parents do not adequately speak the language of the host country receive less attention and fewer treatment options. The study aims to identify the main barriers that prevent immigrant families with an autistic child from accessing health services. We interviewed 36 parents of children with ASD who have been living in Italy for more than 8 years. The main difficulties noted include lack of knowledge of the Italian language, limited health literacy, and misunderstandings in the implementation of educational practices that are useful to their child, due to their different cultural backgrounds.