Dr Anna Urbanowicz
Honorary fellow
Queensland Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disability
Researcher biography
Anna is an occupational therapist who's work aims to improve the health and wellbeing of adults on the autism spectrum. She also has a clinical and research interest in improving the participation outcomes of individuals with intellectual disability, particularly those with Rett syndrome.
Journal Articles
Parr, Jeremy R., Taylor, Helen, Wilson, Colin, Scarlett, Clare, Al-Asmori, Sarah, Buckley, Carole, Cooper, Sally-Ann, Fernandez-Garcia, Cristina, Finch, Tracy, Lees, Rhianna, Lennox, Nicholas, Merrick, Hannah, Moss, Sebastian, Nicolaidis, Christina, Osbourne, Malcolm, Raymaker, Dora M., Robinson, Tomos, Urbanowicz, Anna, Wason, James M. S. and Ingham, Barry (2024). Health checks for autistic adults: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial. Trials, 25 (1) 858, 1-12. doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-08641-5
Qureshi, Kaveri, Evered, Jane Alice, Toyomoto, Rie, Urbanowicz, Anna, Sawada, Akiko, Smith, Lorraine, Sato, Rika Sakuma and Rai, Tanvi (2023). Covid-19 trouble at work: a comparative qualitative analysis of disclosure, sickness absence and return-to-work in the UK, the USA, Australia and Japan. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health, 4 100307, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2023.100307
Maclean, Alice, Hunt, Kate, Brown, Ashley, Evered, Jane A., Dowrick, Anna, Fokkens, Andrea, Grob, Rachel, Law, Susan, Locock, Louise, Marcinow, Michelle, Smith, Lorraine, Urbanowicz, Anna, Verheij, Nientke and Wild, Cervantee (2023). Negotiation of collective and individual candidacy for long Covid healthcare in the early phases of the Covid-19 pandemic: validated, diverted and rejected candidacy. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health, 3 100207, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100207
Taylor, Helen, Ingham, Barry, Mason, David, Finch, Tracy, Wilson, Colin, Scarlett, Clare, Moss, Sebastian, Buckley, Carole, Urbanowicz, Anna, Raymaker, Dora, Seiboth, Charlotte, Lees, Rhianna, Garland, Deborah, Osbourne, Malcolm, Lennox, Nicholas, Cooper, Sally-Ann, Nicolaidis, Christina and Parr, Jeremy R (2022). Co-design of an NHS primary care health check for autistic adults. Autism, 27 (4), 1079-1091. doi: 10.1177/13623613221132921
de Broize, Matthew, Evans, Kiah, Whitehouse, Andrew J.O., Wray, John, Eapen, Valsamma and Urbanowicz, Anna (2022). Exploring the experience of seeking an Autism diagnosis as an adult. Autism in Adulthood, 4 (2), 130-140. doi: 10.1089/aut.2021.0028
Mason, David, Taylor, Helen, Ingham, Barry, Finch, Tracy, Wilson, Colin, Scarlett, Clare, Urbanowicz, Anna, Nicolaidis, Christina, Lennox, Nicholas, Moss, Sebastian, Buckley, Carole, Cooper, Sally-Ann, Osborne, Malcom, Garland, Deborah, Raymaker, Dora and Parr, Jeremy R (2022). Views about primary care health checks for autistic adults: UK survey findings. BJGP Open, 6 (4), 1-12. doi: 10.3399/bjgpo.2022.0067
Heyworth, Melanie, Brett, Simon, den Houting, Jacquiline, Magiati, Iliana, Steward, Robyn, Urbanowicz, Anna, Stears, Marc and Pellicano, Elizabeth (2022). “I'm the family ringmaster and juggler”: autistic parents' experiences of parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Autism in Adulthood, 5 (1), 24-36. doi: 10.1089/aut.2021.0097
Kang, Lisa R. J., Barlott, Tim, Turpin, Merrill and Urbanowicz, Anna (2022). A trial of the AASPIRE healthcare toolkit with Australian adults on the autism spectrum. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 28 (4), 350-356. doi: 10.1071/py21134
Heyworth, Melanie, Brett, Simon, Houting, Jacquiline den, Magiati, Iliana, Steward, Robyn, Urbanowicz, Anna, Stears, Marc and Pellicano, Elizabeth (2021). “It just fits my needs better”: Autistic students and parents’ experiences of learning from home during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Autism and Developmental Language Impairments, 6. doi: 10.1177/23969415211057681
Pellicano, Elizabeth, Brett, Simon, den Houting, Jacquiline, Heyworth, Melanie, Magiati, Iliana, Steward, Robyn, Urbanowicz, Anna and Stears, Marc (2021). COVID-19, social isolation and the mental health of autistic people and their families: a qualitative study. Autism, 26 (4), 136236132110359-927. doi: 10.1177/13623613211035936
Bradshaw, Pia, Pickett, Claire, Brooker, Katie, Urbanowicz, Anna and van Driel, Mieke L. (2021). 'Autistic' or 'with autism'? Why the way general practitioners view and talk about autism matters. Australian Journal of General Practice, 50 (3), 104-108. doi: 10.31128/ajgp-11-20-5721
Bradshaw, Pia, Pickett, Claire, van Driel, Mieke L., Brooker, Katie and Urbanowicz, Anna (2021). Recognising, supporting and understanding Autistic adults in general practice settings. Australian Journal of General Practice, 50 (3), 126-130. doi: 10.31128/ajgp-11-20-5722
Nicolaidis, Christina, Zhen, Kelly Y, Lee, Junghee, Raymaker, Dora M, Kapp, Steven K, Croen, Lisa A, Urbanowicz, Anna, Maslak, Joelle and Scharer, Mirah (2020). Psychometric testing of a set of patient-reported instruments to assess healthcare interventions for autistic adults. Autism, 25 (3), 1-14. doi: 10.1177/1362361320967178
Nicolaidis, Christina, Schnider, Gavin, Lee, Junghee, Raymaker, Dora M., Kapp, Steven K., Croen, Lisa A., Urbanowicz, Anna and Maslak, Joelle (2020). Development and psychometric testing of the AASPIRE Adult Autism Healthcare Provider Self-Efficacy Scale. Autism, 25 (3), 136236132094973-773. doi: 10.1177/1362361320949734
Townend, Gillian S., Bartolotta, Theresa E., Urbanowicz, Anna, Wandin, Helena and Curfs, Leopold M.G. (2020). Development of consensus-based guidelines for managing communication of individuals with Rett syndrome. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 36 (2), 1-11. doi: 10.1080/07434618.2020.1785009
Urbanowicz, Anna, Parkin, Timothy, van Dooren, Kate, Girdler, Sonya, Ciccarelli, Marina and Lennox, Nick (2020). The experiences, views, and needs of health professionals who provide care to adults on the autism spectrum. Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 7 (2), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/23297018.2020.1735943
Arnold, Samuel, Foley, Kitty-Rose, Hwang, Ye In, Richdale, Amanda L., Uljarevic, Mirko, Lawson, Lauren P., Cai, Ru Ying, Falkmer, Torbjorn, Falkmer, Marita, Lennox, Nick G., Urbanowicz, Anna and Trollor, Julian (2019). Cohort profile: the Australian Longitudinal Study of Adults with Autism (ALSAA). BMJ Open, 9 (12) e030798, 1-16. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030798
Mason, David, Ingham, Barry, Urbanowicz, Anna, Michael, Cos, Birtles, Heather, Woodbury-Smith, Marc, Brown, Toni, James, Ian, Scarlett, Clare, Nicolaidis, Christina and Parr, Jeremy R. (2019). A Systematic Review of What Barriers and Facilitators Prevent and Enable Physical Healthcare Services Access for Autistic Adults. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49 (8), 3387-3400. doi: 10.1007/s10803-019-04049-2
Urbanowicz, Anna, Nicolaidis, Christina, den Houting, Jacquiline, Shore, Stephen M., Gaudion, Katie, Girdler, Sonya and Savarese, Ralph James (2019). An Expert Discussion on Strengths-Based Approaches in Autism. Autism in Adulthood, 1 (2), 82-89. doi: 10.1089/aut.2019.29002.aju
Bradshaw, Pia, Pellicano, Elizabeth, van Driel, Mieke and Urbanowicz, Anna (2019). How can we support the healthcare needs of autistic adults without intellectual disability?. Current Developmental Disorders Reports, 6 (2), 45-56. doi: 10.1007/s40474-019-00159-9
An, Andrea, McPherson, Lyn and Urbanowicz, Anna (2018). Healthy living: a health promotion program for adults with intellectual disability. Disability and Health Journal, 11 (4), 606-611. doi: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2018.03.007
Urbanowicz, Anna, Ciccone, Natalie, Girdler, Sonya, Leonard, Helen and Downs, Jenny (2017). Choice making in Rett syndrome: a descriptive study using video data. Disability And Rehabilitation, 40 (7), 813-819. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2016.1277392
Urbanowicz, Anna, Downs, Jenny, Girdler, Sonya, Ciccone, Natalie and Leonard, Helen (2016). An exploration of the use of eye gaze and gestures in females with Rett syndrome.. Journal of Speech Language And Hearing Research, 59 (6), 1373-1383. doi: 10.1044/2015_JSLHR-L-14-0185
Urbanowicz, Anna, Leonard, Helen, Girdler, Sonya, Ciccone, Natalie and Downs, Jenny (2016). Parental perspectives on the communication abilities of their daughters with Rett syndrome. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 19 (1), 17-25. doi: 10.3109/17518423.2013.879940
Urbanowicz, Anna, Downs, Jenny, Girdler, Sonya, Ciccone, Natalie and Leonard, Helen (2015). Aspects of speech-language abilities are influenced by MECP2 mutation type in girls with Rett syndrome. American Journal of Medical Genetics, Part A, 167 (2), 354-362. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.36871
Urbanowicz, Anna, Downs, Jenny, Bebbington, Ami, Jacoby, Peter, Girdler, Sonya and Leonard, Helen (2011). Use of equipment and respite services and caregiver health among Australian families living with Rett syndrome. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5 (2), 722-732. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2010.08.006
Conference Papers
Lennox, N., Urbanowicz, A. and van Dooren, K. (2016). The Autism CHAP: A comprehensive health assessment program for adults on the autism spectrum with intellectual disabilities. 2016 International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities World Congress, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 15-19 August 2016. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/jir.12305
Urbanowicz, A., van Dooren, K., Granich, J., Whitehouse, A. and Lennox, N. (2016). The oral health and dental needs of adults on the autism spectrum. 2016 IASSIDD World Congress, Melbourne, Vic Australia, 15-19 August 2016. HOBOKEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL. doi: 10.1111/jir.12305
Urbanowicz, A., Parkin, T., van Dooren, K., Girdler, S., Ciccarelli, M. and Lennox, N. (2016). The development of new evidence-based resources for health professionals who work with adults on the autism spectrum. 2016 IASSIDD World Congress, Melbourne, Vic Australia, 15-19 August 2016. HOBOKEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL. doi: 10.1111/jir.12305
Urbanowicz, A., Downs, J., Girdler, S., Ciccone, N. and Leonard, H. (2016). An exploration of the use of eye gaze and gestures in females with Rett syndrome. 2016 IASSIDD World Congress, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 14-19 August 2016. Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/jir.12305
Urbanowicz, A., Ciccone, N., Downs, J., Girdler, S. and Leonard, H. (2016). Choice making in Rett syndrome: a descriptive study using video data. IASSIDD 15th World Congress, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 15-19 August 2016. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/jir.12305