Publication: Knowledge of autism spectrum disorder among parents in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia.
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Date
2024
Authors
Diah, Nazihah Mohmad
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Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is growing increasingly common around the world. As primary carers, parents' capacity to recognise and respond to autism symptoms is crucial for providing optimal healthcare to autistic children.This study was conducted to determine the level of ASD knowledge among parents at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. A descriptive cross-sectional study was used among parents who did not have an autistic children and not a medical profession. A sample size of 94 parents was selected. A knowledge score was categorized into low level, medium level and high level of knowledge. Result showed 63.8% of the respondents had medium knowledge about ASD and only 2.1% respondents had high knowledge. There was 34% of the respondents had low level of knowledge. The level of knowledge regarding ASD was significantly associated with gender (p=0.008), educational level (p=0.002), and monthly income (p=0.004). The findings underscore the significant role that educational level and socio-economic status play in shaping parental understanding of autism. The limitations in this study was a convenient sampling method. Besides, most of the respondents were mothers. Some of the respondents reported the questionnaire was too long. Future studies should consider reducing the number of items and include questions about sociodemographic status, such as rural areas or urban areas, to explore variables that influence ASD knowledge. Future studies should aim to address these limitations