Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P)

Addressing Disparities
Principal Investigator: Karen Kuhlthau, PhD

Network Overview
• AIR-P is a research network that seeks to improve the physical
health and well-being of children and adolescents with autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) or other neurodevelopmental disorders.
• As part of this mission AIR-P seeks to address and reduce
disparities in health status and use of care.
• Multi-site network with:
o A large and diverse patient population
Does Exercise Reduce Anxiety?
o An interdisciplinary team of researchers, clinicians, and parent
partners/families from diverse backgrounds and different Objective: To test whether a physical exercise intervention (using high intensity interval training)
healthcare systems reduces anxiety in children from underserved families.
• Family co-production of research Population: All enrollees are publicly insured.
• Partnership with Autism Speaks Status: Currently Enrolling
• Three examples of research studies that address disparities are Sites: University of CA Irvine and University of Missouri
described here PIs: Drs Gehricke and Lowery

Addressing Dental Disparities ECHO Autism

Objective: This study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to
compare the efficacy of the established AIR-P Dental Toolkit to a
combined regimen involving the Dental Toolkit and a parent-
mediated behavioral intervention.
Population: All enrollees are publicly insured with primarily ethnic
and racial minority status. Most have comorbid intellectual disability.
Status: Enrollment completed
Sites: University of CA Irvine
Objective: Examine the effectiveness of Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO)
Autism intervention on autism screening, knowledge barriers to care, and comorbidity
management. ECHO is a widely-adopted virtual learning network that uses case-based learning to
mentor primary care providers (PCPs) serving people primarily in rural and underserved
populations using case-based mentorship. The model was adapted for Autism.
Population: All PCPs participants served a population with >50% underserved groups.
Results: Improvements in screening and knowledge and a reduction in perceived barriers to
providing care. No change in management of co-morbidities.
Autism Screening
Comorbidity Management

and Nationwide Children’s Hospital PIs: Drs Sohl and Mazurek

100%
95%
90% 86%
PIs: Drs. Steinberg–Epstein, 85% 81%
78%
80% 76%

Fenning, and Butter 75%

70% 73%
76%
78%

65% 67% 66%

60% 64% 64%
61%
55%
50%
Pre-ECHO Mid-ECHO Post-ECHO Follow-up

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under cooperative agreement UA3 MC11054 – Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health. This
information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.