Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder: Their views on their children's hospital experiences, expectations from nurses, and a hospital environment sensitive to differences - A qualitative study.

Researchers interviewed 30 mothers of young children with autism (ages 2-6) about their experiences in hospitals. They wanted to understand what these families go through during medical visits, what they expect from nurses, and how hospitals could be more autism-friendly. The mothers shared their thoughts in three main areas: understanding autism, nursing care experiences, and suggestions for improvement. This research aims to help hospitals provide better care for children with autism.

This qualitative study explored the hospital experiences of 30 mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 2-6 years across three provinces in Turkey. Using a phenomenological approach, researchers conducted interviews to understand maternal perspectives on their children's healthcare encounters, expectations from nursing staff, and preferences for autism-sensitive hospital environments. The analysis identified three main themes: Evaluations of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Evaluations of Nursing Care, and Recommendations, with 36 specific codes emerging from the data. The study addresses the critical need to improve healthcare quality for children with ASD, who require healthcare services more frequently than neurotypical peers and face documented challenges in healthcare access.

This research provides valuable insights into parental expectations for autism-sensitive healthcare environments and nursing care. The identified themes and codes could inform development of autism-specific hospital protocols, staff training programs, and environmental modifications to improve healthcare experiences for children with ASD and their families.

The abstract does not provide specific methodological details, sample characteristics beyond basic demographics, or discuss study limitations. The findings are limited to one cultural context (Turkey) and represent only maternal perspectives, not those of fathers or the children themselves.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) tend to require healthcare services more frequently than their neurotypical peers. With the increasing prevalence and high rates of medical comorbidities, it has become increasingly important for healthcare providers and care systems to meet the healthcare requirements of children with ASD. This study aims to examine the hospital experiences of mothers raising children with ASD, their expectations from nurses, and their views on a hospital environment sensitive to differences. A qualitative research framework was used in this study, drawing from phenomenology.

The study population consisted of mothers with children aged 2-6 years with ASD in three different provinces across three geographical regions of Turkey. The study sample consisted of 30 mothers whose children had an autism diagnosis based on the DSM-V criteria and met the inclusion requirements. After analyzing the obtained data during the interviews, three themes and 36 codes were identified. The themes are as follows: Evaluations of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Evaluations of Nursing Care, and Recommendations.

Given the high prevalence of ASD and the documented challenges that children with ASD encounter in accessing healthcare services, this research aims to enhance the quality of hospital care for children with ASD, offering valuable insights.