“Actually, even me I wouldn’t think that it is there” exploring the knowledge and attitudes of health professionals towards autism spectrum disorders in Uganda

Abstract

Globally, the prevalence of ASD is reported to be increasing requiring more health professionals to provide care. However, to-date, there is little research from Uganda. This study aimed to explore health professionals' knowledge and attitudes in the identification, diagnosis, and management of ASD in children and adolescents in Uganda. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data from 20 health professionals working with children and adolescents in three regional hospitals in Uganda. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Perceptions and understanding by health professionals about ASD were captured as three themes: competence of health professionals in identifying and managing ASD; constraints to the identification and management of ASD; and, optimism. Findings suggest there are challenges in the identification and management of ASD, which results in the low detection of ASD in Uganda. Delivery of education to the wider community and health professional training is recommended. Key practitioner messageDetection and identification of ASD in children and young people is limited in Uganda. Health professionals in Uganda experience challenges that impact on their ability to appropriately diagnose and support individuals with ASD. Lack of knowledge has been cited as a factor in the caregivers' health seeking behavior. The low numbers of caregivers seeking help for the children with ASD from the health centers implies that some community members still have faith in the medical field. The sensitization of both professionals and community about the treatment and available services was recommended as a powerful tool in improving health-seeking behavior.