Autistic SPACE: a novel framework for meeting the needs of autistic people in healthcare settings

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Doherty, M., McCowan, S., & Shaw, S. C. K. (2023). Autistic SPACE: a novel framework for meeting the needs of autistic people in healthcare settings. British Journal of Hospital Medicine, 84(4), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.12968/hmed.2023.0006

Publication date: 2 Apr 2023 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
3
Publication authors identified as autistic
3 / 3 (100.0%)
  1. Mary Doherty *
  2. Sue McCowan *
  3. Sebastian Charles Keith Shaw *

Abstract

Autistic people experience significant health disparities and reduced life expectancy. Barriers to accessing healthcare are associated with adverse health outcomes. Autism training and healthcare professionals' knowledge about autism is variable, and heterogeneity among autistic people leads to additional educational and clinical complexities. Autism remains nebulous for many practitioners, who are unclear about communication differences, access needs or life experiences common to autistic people. Healthcare environments can be challenging for all patients but autistic people may require specific accommodations to allow equitable access. The authors have developed a simple framework which may facilitate equitable clinical services at all points of access and care, using the acronym 'SPACE'. This encompasses five core autistic needs: Sensory needs, Predictability, Acceptance, Communication and Empathy. Three additional domains are represented by physical space, processing space and emotional space. This simple yet memorable framework encompasses commonalities shared by autistic people.

Bibliography cited by this reference

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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
37
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
11 / 37 (29.7%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
25 / 171 (14.6%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 25 / 79 (31.6%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 16 / 153 (10.5%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
79 / 171 (46.2%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 62 / 153 (40.5%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
54 / 79 (68.4%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 54 / 171 (31.6%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 46 / 62 (74.2%).
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