Social Prescribing In Autism, a Mixed-Methods Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A mixed-methods study of social prescribing interventions within a regional adult autism service.
IRAS ID
317087
Contact name
Dheeraj Rai
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol Research Governance Team, Research & Enterprise Division
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Social prescribing involves linking patients to local, community-based activities such as art groups and outdoor activities. It typically involves a link worker, who connects the patient to a service or activity that will meet their presenting needs through a process of joint decision-making. Within the Bristol Autism Spectrum service, the community link workers have been established to help address the social factors which lie behind the health inequalities in the autistic population, such as social isolation. This study will improve our current understanding of social prescribing for autistic adults and measure mental health and quality of life outcomes. The aims of this study are to a) collect pilot data on the attitudes, experiences and acceptability of social prescribing; b) explore what is felt to be the most effective part of the intervention and evaluate the efficacy of social prescribing for autistic adults in the Bristol Autism Spectrum Service by exploring the extent to which social prescribing leads to enhanced service-user wellbeing. We additionally want to (c) explore factors that facilitate and hinder the implementation of a social prescribing pilot and affect the uptake, adherence, and completion rates by service users, and finally, we want to understand barriers to receiving support by (d) exploring the factors (service user and external) which lead to someone deciding not to receive support from social prescribing. Eligible participants would be adults (≥18-years) with a diagnosis of autism, under the care of the Bristol Autism Spectrum Service and who have been referred for social prescribing. Participants will be invited to complete questionnaires before and after the intervention. Additionally, we will invite them to take part in semi-structured qualitative interviews to explore the experience of undertaking the social prescribing intervention, or reasons for declining the intervention if they have declined support.
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/SW/0016
Date of REC Opinion
22 Jun 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion