Autism Spectrum Disorder Knowledge Among Family Medicine Residents in Izmir, Turkey

Year 2023, Volume: 24 Issue: 1, 85 - 92, 30.03.2023

Adli Başar Gürbüz Özge Tuncer , Börte Gürbüz Özgür

https://doi.org/10.4274/meandros.galenos.2023.92678

Abstract

Objective: Today, there are initiatives worldwide for the early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Family physicians encounter children with autism risk from their infancy. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and factors affecting the knowledge about ASD of family medicine residents.
Materials and Methods: Knowledge about Childhood Autism among Health Workers (KCAHW) questionnaire and the sociodemographic data form were applied to 210 family medicine residents in İzmir, Turkey.
Results: One hundred thirty-three (63.3%) participants were female. The mean KCAHW score was 12.3±3.15. The mean scores for domains 1, 2, 3 and 4 were; 5.8±1.56, 0.82±0.38, 2.51±1.06 and 3.16±1.45, respectively. Variables that increase the level of knowledge were determined as prior follow-up and/or participation in the evaluation process of a child with ASD, ASD training during residency, and having medical specialty residency experience in another branch before.
Conclusion: It was determined that family medicine residents had deficiencies in knowledge about ASD. Besides, the most important factors that increase knowledge about ASD were previous training about ASD and having previously followed-up patients with ASD. We think that adding a theoretical course on autism and following up a child with ASD with a child psychiatrist during the residency training process will contribute to the level of knowledge.

Keywords

Family practice , knowledge , autism spectrum disorder , awareness , medical residency

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