AWARENESS ABOUT CHILDHOOD AUTISM AMONG RESIDENT PHYSICIANS OF SURGICAL, NONSURGICAL AND FIRSTCONTACT DISCIPLINES (FAMILY MEDICINE+ PEDIATRICS+ OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY) OF A RESEARCH AND TRAINING HOSPITAL IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this descriptive study was to assess the awareness of childhood autism among 275 physicians undergoing their residency training in several disciplines which were classified as surgical, nonsurgical and first-contact disciplines (Family medicine + Pediatrics + Otorhinolaryngology) of a Research and Training Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Material and Method: Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Residents scoring below 20 were considered as “low scoring”; and residents scoring 20 and above were considered as “high scoring”; Chi-square test and Fisher’s chi-square test were applied for finding association between categorical variables. Results: The characteristics of childhood autism emerging with statistically significant differences between the disciplines (p<0.05) were ‘‘A child with autism frequently has repetitive and stereotypical behaviours’’ and ‘‘about the outstanding talents a child with autism might have’’. Around 94.1% of the first-contact disciplines and 93.3% of the nonsurgical disciplines were in the high-scoring group; whereas 82.6% of the surgical disciplines could be placed in the high-scoring group. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusion: In this study, the physicians undergoing their residency training in the first-contact disciplines, namely Family Medicine + Pediatrics + Otorhinolaryngology, were found to be more knowledgeable on childhood autism as compared to the ones undergoing residency training in the surgical disciplines. This was considered as a pleasing finding since the first-contact disciplines are most likely to be in an initial position to detect a child with autism in the community, refer him/her to the health authorities and continue monitoring him/her from thereon.

Keywords

• Childhood autism
• awareness
• resident physicians
• non-surgical disciplines

İSTANBUL’DA BİR EĞİTİM VE ARAŞTIRMA HASTANESİNİN CERRAHİ, CERRAHİ DIŞI VE İLK-BAŞVURU DİSİPLİNLERİ (AİLE HEKİMLİĞİ + PEDİATRİ + KULAK BURUN BOĞAZ) ASİSTAN HEKİMLERİNİN ÇOCUKLUK ÇAĞI OTİZMİ HAKKINDA FARKINDALIKLARININ DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ

Abstract

Amaç: Bu tanımlayıcı çalışmanın amacı, İstanbul’da bir Eğitim Araştırma Hastanesi’nde cerrahi, cerrahi dışı ve ilk -başvuru disiplinlerinde (Aile hekimliği + Pediatri + Kulak Burun Boğaz) Tıpta Uzmanlık Eğitimi almakta olan 275 asistan hekimin çocukluk otizmi farkındalığını değerlendirmektir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Veriler asistan hekimlerin kendilerinin doldurduğu anket aracılığıyla toplandı. Yirmi’nin altında puan alan hekimler “düşük puan” almış olarak kabul edildi; 20 ve üzeri puan alanlar “yüksek puan” almış olarak kabul edildi; Kategorik değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiyi bulmak için ki-kare testi ve Fisher’in ki-kare testi uygulanmıştır. Bulgular: Otizmli bir çocuk tekrarlayıcı ve stereotipik davranışlara sahiptir” ve “otizmi olan bir çocuğun üstün yeteneklere sahip olabileceği” disiplinler arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı farklarla ortaya çıkan çocukluk otizminin özellikleridir. İlk -başvuru disiplinlerinin yaklaşık %94,1’i ve cerrahi dışı disiplinlerin %93,3’ü yüksek puan grubunda yer almıştır; oysa cerrahi disiplinlerin daha azı (%82,6’sı) yüksek puan grubunda yer almıştır. Bu fark istatistiksel olarak anlamlıydı (p<0,05). Sonuç: Bu çalışmada ilk-başvuru disiplinlerinde eğtim almakta olan asistan hekimlerin çocukluk otizmi hakkında daha fazla bilgi sahibi oldukları görülmüştür. İlk-başvuru disiplinlerinin, toplumda olası otizmi olan bir çocuğu fark etmek, ilk adımı atacak disiplinler olmaları nedeniyle, bu sonuç yüz güldürücü bir bulgu olarak kabul edildi.

Keywords

• Çocukluk çağı otizmi
• farkındalık
• asistan hekimler
• cerrahi olmayan disiplinler

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