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Autism spectrum disorders

Barriers to Mental Health Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Brazil

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A new study from the Veredas Institute in Sao Paulo, Brazil, aims to analyze barriers related to mental health services for children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from the perspective of families and caregivers. The research, funded by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico and the Ministry of Health in Brazil, will involve a qualitative evidence synthesis using five databases and grey literature to identify studies that have collected and analyzed qualitative data on barriers to mental health services for children and adolescents with ASD in Brazil. The study will focus on social, racial, and gender aspects and will include only studies conducted in Brazil that consider the perspectives of family members and caregivers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study aims to analyze barriers related to mental health services for children and adolescents with ASD from the perspective of families and caregivers in Brazil.
  • The research will involve stakeholder engagement through an online meeting to refine the research question and understand the magnitude of the problem.
  • The study will focus on social, racial, and gender aspects and will include only studies conducted in Brazil that consider the perspectives of family members and caregivers.
  • The research will use a qualitative evidence synthesis approach to identify existing studies that have collected and analyzed qualitative data on barriers to mental health services for children and adolescents with ASD in Brazil.
  • The study will be funded by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico and the Ministry of Health in Brazil.
  • The research team includes Laura Dos Santos Boeira, Luis Phillipe Nagem Lopes, Ana Carolina Figueiredo Modesto, Alice Ramos-Silva, Victoria Paulo Menin, Flavia Casale Abe, and Luciane Cruz Lopes.

Statistics:

  • The study aims to analyze barriers to mental health services for 3 million children and adolescents with ASD living in Brazil (Barriers to mental health services for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in Brazil: protocol for a qualitative evidence synthesis and citizen panel, 2025).
  • The research will involve a qualitative evidence synthesis using five databases and grey literature to identify studies (Barriers to mental health services for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in Brazil: protocol for a qualitative evidence synthesis and citizen panel, 2025).
  • The study will focus on social, racial, and gender aspects, which are relevant to the 85% of children with ASD living with a family member or caregiver in Brazil (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, 2020).

Sources:

  • Barriers to mental health services for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in Brazil: protocol for a qualitative evidence synthesis and citizen panel. BMJ Open, 2025;15(10).
  • NewsRx. New Autism Spectrum Disorders Study Results from Laura Dos Santos Boeira et al Described [Barriers to mental health services for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in Brazil: protocol for a qualitative evidence synthesis and ...]. Mental Health Weekly Digest. October 20, 2025; p 464.

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