Strategies, challenges and enabling factors when imaging autistic individuals in Swiss medical imaging departments

Sarah Carlier; Patrick Vorlet; Cláudia Sá Dos Reis; Christina Malamateniou

doi:10.1016/j.jmir.2022.11.002

Strategies, challenges and enabling factors when imaging autistic individuals in Swiss medical imaging departments

J Med Imaging Radiat Sci. 2023 Dec;54(4S):S53-S63. doi: 10.1016/j.jmir.2022.11.002. Epub 2022 Dec 9.

Authors

Sarah Carlier¹, Patrick Vorlet², Cláudia Sá Dos Reis³, Christina Malamateniou⁴

Affiliations

¹ Etablissement Hospitaliers du Nord Vaudois, 1400 Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. Electronic address: sarah.carlier@yahoo.fr.
² French-Speaking Section of the Swiss Association of Radiographers (SVMTRA/ASTRM), Chemin de la Crosette 9, Lussery-Villars 1309, Switzerland; Cantonal University Hospital Vaud (CHUV), Bugnon 46, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland.
³ School of Health Sciences (HESAV), University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO), Av de Beaumont 21, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland.
⁴ School of Health Sciences (HESAV), University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO), Av de Beaumont 21, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland; Division of Radiography & Midwifery, City, University of London, London, UK.

PMID: 36504166
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmir.2022.11.002

Abstract

Introduction: Autistic individuals may require medical imaging but they can face barriers that are related to lack of adjustments in their care. This study aims to explore and understand strategies currently used by Swiss radiographers to image autistic patients and to propose recommendations for clinical practice.

Methods: The Swiss Ethics of the canton of Vaud committee approved the study. Data collection was gathered using a mixed method approach by an online survey and followed by selected interviews. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyse the data.

Results: A hundred completed responses to the survey were obtained and five individual interviews were conducted. Sixty participants reported having managed autistic patients. The main enablers identified were: the support from carers, adapting the behaviour of staff and customising communication. The main challenges were a lack of communication and the lack of knowledge about autism to appropriately manage the patient. Only five radiographers had received prior training in autism.

Conclusion: Medical imaging departments must develop protocols to overcome the lack of communication between services, radiographers, and autistic service users. The lack of radiographer knowledge about autism can impact autistic patient management, resulting in carers playing an important role during the examination. Customised education for radiographers about autism is needed.

Implication for practice: The development of a scheduling protocol for each imaging modality could improve communication with the patient. The organisation of the physical environment and the patient's preparation for the examination are critical to provide adequate imaging care. It is suggested that medical imaging professionals, autistic service users, and autism organisations collaborate to develop autism related guidelines for medical imaging examinations.

Keywords: Autism; Computed tomography; Magnetic resonance imaging; Medical imaging; Patient-centred care.

MeSH terms

Autistic Disorder* / diagnostic imaging
Causality
Diagnostic Imaging
Humans
Surveys and Questionnaires
Switzerland