| Title: |
'I Did Not Think They Could Help Me': Autistic Adults' Reasons for Not Seeking Public Healthcare When They Last Experienced Suicidality |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Tanya L. Procyshyn (ORCID 0000-0003-1266-6697); Rachel L. Moseley; Sarah J. Marsden; Carrie Allison (ORCID 0000-0003-2272-2090); Tracey Parsons; Sarah Cassidy (ORCID 0000-0003-1982-3034); Mirabel Pelton (ORCID 0000-0002-3378-8944); Elizabeth Weir; Tanatswa Chikaura; Holly Hodges; David Mosse; Ian Hall; Lewis Owens; Jon Cheyette; David Crichton; Jacqui Rodgers; Simon Baron-Cohen |
| Source: |
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice. 2025 29(11):2677-2690. |
| Availability: |
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
14 |
| Publication Date: |
2025 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: |
Autism Spectrum Disorders; Adults; Suicide; Barriers; Access to Health Care; Help Seeking; Attitudes; Fear; Mental Health; Foreign Countries; Psychological Patterns |
| Geographic Terms: |
United Kingdom (England) |
| DOI: |
10.1177/13623613251370789 |
| ISSN: |
1362-3613; 1461-7005 |
| Abstract: |
With autistic people at increased risk of dying by suicide, understanding barriers to help-seeking is crucial for suicide prevention efforts. Using an online survey designed in consultation with autistic people, we examined reasons why autistic adults living in the United Kingdom did not seek help from the National Health Service (NHS) when they last experienced suicidal thoughts or behaviours. Participants who disaffirmed help-seeking from the NHS (n = 754) were able to select from a prepopulated list of 20 reasons why and to enter their own. The three most commonly endorsed reasons were 'I tried to cope and manage my feelings by myself', 'I did not think they could help me' and 'The waiting list is too long -- no point'. Endorsement of reasons differed significantly with gender identity, age group and degree of lifetime suicidality. Four themes emerged from analysis of free-form responses: "NHS is ineffective, NHS as antagonistic, Fear and consequences" and "Barriers to access." These findings highlight the need to foster more flexible healthcare systems capable of supporting autistic people, and that autistic people view as trustworthy and effective, to enable help-seeking behaviours with the potential to save lives. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Entry Date: |
2025 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1487494 |
| Database: |
ERIC |