![](images/Newspaper.gif)
Knowledge, Awareness and Attitude of Parents towards their Children with Autism at a Tertiary Care Hospital, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study
Correspondence Address :
Dr. Khalid AlAwad A Mohammed,
AL-Baha University, Faculty of Medicine, P.O Box: 1988, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), AL-Baha City, AL-Baha, Saudi Arabia.
E-mail: khmohammed@bu.edu.sa; Khalidalawad890@gmail.com
Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong hereditary neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by a lack of social communication and restricted and repetitive behaviours. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) classified symptoms of autism into two domains: the social communication and interaction domain. However, studies on autism in Saudi Arabia are still insufficient. Therefore, awareness and knowledge about autism can facilitate early detection and treatment, resulting in better outcomes.
Aim: To evaluate parents’ knowledge, awareness, and attitude towards their autistic children in a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia.
Materials and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Baljurashi Mental Health Hospital, AL-Baha region, Saudi Arabia, from January 2023 to November 2023. A total of 69 parents with autistic children who attended the outpatient clinic at Baljurashi Mental Health Hospital were included in the study. A questionnaire was administered among parents to assess their knowledge, awareness, and attitude regarding autism. Data was statistically analysed using descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test.
Results: The age of the parents ranged from 16 to over 50 years, with 47 (68.1%) being males and 22 (31.9%) being females. Almost 29 (42.0%) of the parents were postgraduates, and 21 (30.4%) had a university-level education. About 24 (34.8%) of the participants believed that consanguineous marriage increases the risk of autism, 19 (27.5%) believed that some vaccines increase the risk of autism, and 39 (56.5%) knew that autism is associated with learning disabilities. Three-quarters of the participants, 54 (78.3%), stated that autism was known to them, 50 (72.5%) thought that an autistic child could be affected by a normal child, and 53 (76.8%) had good knowledge about autism.
Conclusion: The study showed that the majority of parents had good knowledge about autism disorder. The findings reflect the positive impact of focused training initiatives and public awareness efforts aimed at improving parents’ knowledge, awareness, and attitude toward autism.
Neurodevelopmental disorder, Public awareness, Repetitive behaviour
DOI: 10.7860/JCDR/2024/69868.19584
Date of Submission: Feb 01, 2024
Date of Peer Review: Mar 12, 2024
Date of Acceptance: May 25, 2024
Date of Publishing: Jul 01, 2024
AUTHOR DECLARATION:
• Financial or Other Competing Interests: None
• Was Ethics Committee Approval obtained for this study? Yes
• Was informed consent obtained from the subjects involved in the study? Yes
• For any images presented appropriate consent has been obtained from the subjects. NA
PLAGIARISM CHECKING METHODS:
• Plagiarism X-checker: Feb 01, 2024
• Manual Googling: Mar 11, 2024
• iThenticate Software: May 24, 2024 (13%)
ETYMOLOGY: Author Origin
EMENDATIONS: 8
- Emerging Sources Citation Index (Web of Science, thomsonreuters)
- Index Copernicus ICV 2017: 134.54
- Academic Search Complete Database
- Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
- Embase
- EBSCOhost
- Google Scholar
- HINARI Access to Research in Health Programme
- Indian Science Abstracts (ISA)
- Journal seek Database
- Popline (reproductive health literature)
- www.omnimedicalsearch.com