Mothers' satisfaction with emergency care when their child has an autism spectrum disorder

Purpose: This study aimed to examine factors identified by mothers as affecting their satisfaction with the care provided to their children in the Emergency Department (ED), among mothers of children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) in comparison to mothers of children without ASD.Design and methods: In this correlational quantitative study, 128 Israeli mothers - 59 (46%) mothers of children with ASD and 69 (54%) of children without ASD - completed an online survey based on a Ministry of Health national survey of patient experience.Results: Mothers of children with ASD expressed lower satisfaction with the care provided. The difference was particularly evident concerning waiting times for examination of the child by nurses and physicians in the ED, whether the nurses were attentive and responsive to the mother's questions and concerns, whether the ED staff demonstrated coordination and cooperation with regard to medical care of the child, and whether work in the ED was conducted in an orderly and organized manner. The presence of communication difficulties in children predicted mothers' satisfaction with care.Conclusions: These findings suggest that certain needs of mothers and/or their children with ASD do not receive an appropriate response in the ED. Practice implications: It is important to raise the awareness of healthcare providers in EDs regarding the needs of children with ASD and their parents, especially children with communication difficulties. Strategies should be implemented to improve the experience of children with ASD and their parents in the ED. (c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study aimed to compare factors affecting mothers' satisfaction with care in the Emergency Department (ED) for children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and children without ASD. The results showed that mothers of children with ASD expressed lower satisfaction, especially in terms of waiting times, attentiveness and responsiveness of nurses, coordination and cooperation among ED staff, and the overall organization of work in the ED. Communication difficulties in children predicted mothers' satisfaction with care.