Recognition of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) symptoms and knowledge about some other aspects of ASD among final year medical students in Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa

BMC Research Notes

A. O. Orovwigho²  K. M. Munir⁵  K. M. Okonoda^1,10  Y. O. Oshodi^1,13  C. J. Okafor³  P. C. Odinka^1,12  M. N. Igwe^1,14  J. T. Obindo^1,10  M. A. Yunusa¹  B. O. James⁴  S. Sale⁸  M. A. Bello-Mojeed⁶  A. O. Adewuya⁷  M. F. Tunde-Ayinmode^1,11  M. O. Bakare⁹ 

[1] College of Health Sciences, Usman Danfodio University Sokoto, Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria;Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria;College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria;Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Uselu, Benin City,, Edo State, Nigeria;Division of Developmental Medicine, Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), Boston, MA, USA;Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos State, Nigeria;College of Medicine, Lagos State University Ikeja, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria;Faculty of Medicine, Bayero University Kano, Kano, Kano State, Nigeria;Childhood Neuropsychiatric Disorders Initiatives (CNDI), Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria;Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria;College of Medicine, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria;College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria;College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria;College of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

关键词: Nigeria;    Education;    Medical students;    Autism Spectrum Disorder;    Symptoms;    Knowledge;   

Others  :  1230127
DOI  :  10.1186/s13104-015-1433-0

 received in 2014-11-13, accepted in 2015-09-09,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

Earlier studies suggest that knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) among healthcare workers in Nigeria is low. This present study assessed the knowledge of Nigerian final year medical students about symptoms of ASD and some other aspects of ASD. This is a cross sectional descriptive study that drew a total of seven hundred and fifty-seven (757) final year medical students from ten (10) randomly selected fully accredited medical schools out of a total of twenty-seven (27) fully accredited medical schools in Nigeria. Sociodemographic and Knowledge about Childhood Autism among Health Workers (KCAHW) questionnaires were used to assess knowledge of final year medical students about ASD and obtain demographic information.

Results

Only few, 218 (28.8 %) of the 757 final year medical students had seen and participated in evaluation and management of at least a child with ASD during their clinical postings in pediatrics and psychiatry. Knowledge and recognition of symptoms of ASD is observed to be better among this group of final year medical students as shown by higher mean scores in the four domains of KCAHW questionnaire. Knowledge about ASD varies across gender and regions. Misconceptions about ASD were also observed among the final year medical students.

Conclusions

More focus needs to be given to ASD in the curriculum of Nigerian undergraduate medical students, especially during their psychiatry and pediatric clinical postings.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Bakare et al.

【 图 表 】

Fig.1.

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