Autism knowledge and Attitudes: A National survey among Saudi Pediatricians

Ahmed Almutairi, Muteb Alosaimi, ‏Rawan N. Alharbi, Nourah S. Alsubaie, Khalid S. Alnashi, Israa K. Aldawudi, Gadeer A. Albannawi, Talal H. Alanazi, Yousef S. Alanazi, Abdulhadi H.n Alomari, Ali A.r Alshanqiti, Fahad M. Alzahrani, Jawaher h. jelaidan, Ashwaq M. Alyazeedi

Abstract

Autism is a known developmental disorder that is prevalent across the world. Saudi Arabia has largely been disadvantaged with respect to evidence-based research on autism. The presence of limited research and studies on autism in Saudi Arabia has an impact on how pediatricians undertake their treatment interventions on children with autism. This study assesses the awareness levels of Saudi pediatricians with regards to knowledge and attitudes towards autism among children. The degree of knowledge and attitudes displayed by the respondents have a direct correlation with the level of care and treatment for autism. This study is thus a baseline case which can be used to inform future treatment interventions for autism. The study showed that male children were more likely to be in the risk of being affected by autism which according to the analysis obtained from the chi square gender was not a significance of likeliness of a child being affected by autism. Correlation was used to determine the strength of the relationship between lack of eye contact as a result of autism causing communication disorder, a correlation of -0.132 which implied a weak negative relationship between the two variables. From the chi-square, a p value of 0.808 was obtained which indicated that there was insufficient statistical significance to the claim that there was a difference between gender and long-life condition of autism.