Updates to the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) Research Agenda

Hotez, E., Haley, M., Martinez-Agosto, J. A., Anderson, J., Brown, H. M., Choi, K., Croen, L. A., Dwyer, P., Fernandes, P., Gassner, D. L., Giwa Onaiwu, M., Gragnani, C., Graham Holmes, L., Kapp, S. K., Kim, D., Massolo, M. L., Montgomery, B., Natri, H. M., Rava, J. A.,..., & Kuo, A. A. (2023). Updates to the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) Research Agenda. Cureus, 15(8), e44388-e44388. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.44388

Publication date: 30 Aug 2023 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

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Authors

Publication authors
28
Publication authors identified as autistic
8 / 28 (28.6%)

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Autistic individuals, now representing one in 36 individuals in the U.S., experience disproportionate physical health challenges relative to non-autistic individuals. The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) is an interdisciplinary, multi-center Research Network that aims to increase the health, well-being, and quality of life of autistic individuals. The current paper builds on the initial AIR-P Research Agenda (proposed in Year 1) and provides an updated vision for the Network. METHODS: Updates to the Research Agenda were made via the administration of a Qualtrics survey, and disseminated widely to all AIR-P entities, including the Research Node Leaders, Steering Committee, Autistic Researcher Review Board, and collaborating academic and non-academic entities. Network members were tasked with evaluating the Year 1 Research Agenda and proposing additional priorities. RESULTS: Within each Research Node, all Year 1 priorities were endorsed as continued priorities for research on autism and physical health. Specific topics, including co-occurring conditions and self-determination, advocacy, and decision-making, were particularly endorsed. Opportunities for exploratory studies and intervention research were identified across Research Nodes. Qualitative responses providing feedback on additional research priorities were collected. CONCLUSION: The updated AIR-P Research Agenda represents an important step toward enacting large-scale health promotion efforts for autistic individuals across the lifespan. This updated agenda builds on efforts to catalyze autism research in historically underrepresented topic areas while adopting a neurodiversity-oriented approach to health promotion.

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Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:30.

Cited references
23
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
1 / 23 (4.3%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
10 / 101 (9.9%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 10 / 51 (19.6%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 9 / 93 (9.7%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
51 / 101 (50.5%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 43 / 93 (46.2%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
41 / 51 (80.4%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 41 / 101 (40.6%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 34 / 43 (79.1%).
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