An Assessment of the Knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Polish Primary Care Physicians

TL;DR

Polish primary care physicians have insufficient knowledge about autism spectrum disorder, particularly in diagnosis and etiology.

Contribution

This study provides a novel assessment of ASD knowledge among Polish primary care physicians and identifies demographic factors influencing knowledge levels.

Findings

Only 37.95% of physicians correctly answered questions about autism etiology.

Female physicians and pediatricians demonstrated higher knowledge levels compared to their counterparts.

Physicians in small towns and those with more experience had lower knowledge scores.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: In light of the growing need to incorporate primary care physicians (PCPs) in the complex care system for autistic patients, this study aims to assess the level of physicians’ knowledge of the autism spectrum in Poland. Materials and Methods: After a literature review, an online survey consisting of 20 items assessing the knowledge of autism etiology, diagnosis criteria, and patient support was developed. Of 250 invitations, 166 physicians filled out the form (a 66.4% response rate). For the statistical analysis, the normal distribution was excluded for all data based on the Shapiro–Wilk test. The U-Mann–Whitney test was performed for two variables to verify the comparison of variables. The threshold of statistical significance was at the level of p = 0.05. Results: Correct responses regarding autism etiology, diagnosis, and support were 37.95%, 42.69%, and 70.05%, respectively. Female physicians presented a higher level of knowledge regarding all categories. The level of general knowledge is statistically higher in pediatricians than in general practitioners, and the knowledge of physicians in training is higher in contrast to specialists. The knowledge of physicians from small towns, as well as physicians with more clinical experience, was low. Conclusions: This study revealed an insufficient level of knowledge relating to autism spectrum disorder among primary care physicians, which is similar to the findings of other studies conducted in different regions of the world. The lack of knowledge is especially evident in the theoretical preparation of physicians regarding ASD.