Effectiveness of an autism spectrum disorder screening and follow-up training program for primary health care professionals in Türkiye.

This study looked at whether training primary care doctors and nurses about autism improved their knowledge. 303 healthcare workers in Turkey took a test before and after autism training. Their scores improved significantly after the training, showing they learned important information about autism. This suggests that training healthcare professionals can help them better recognize autism signs in children and refer families for proper diagnosis earlier.

This Turkish study evaluated the effectiveness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) training for 303 primary healthcare professionals, including family physicians and family healthcare workers. The training was part of Turkey's National Action Plan for Individuals with ASD. Participants completed the Knowledge About Childhood Autism Among Health Workers Questionnaire (KCAHW) before and after training. Results showed significant improvements in autism knowledge across all domains, with mean total scores increasing from 13.12±3.14 to 16.48±2.02 (p<0.001).

Effect sizes ranged from 0.01 to 0.24 across different domains. Both family physicians and family healthcare workers benefited from the intervention, demonstrating increased autism awareness and knowledge that could support earlier identification and referral of children at risk for ASD.

Training programs can effectively improve primary healthcare professionals' autism knowledge, potentially supporting earlier identification and referral. The significant improvements across all knowledge domains suggest comprehensive training approaches are beneficial. However, additional research is needed to determine if knowledge gains translate to improved clinical practice and patient outcomes.

Single-group pre-post design without control group limits causal inference. Effect sizes were relatively small (0.01-0.24). No follow-up assessment to determine knowledge retention over time. Study limited to one Turkish province, affecting generalizability. No measurement of actual clinical practice changes or patient outcomes.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening and follow-up programs are implemented in all provinces in Türkiye as part of the National Action Plan for Individuals with ASD. Primary health care professionals are trained regarding ASD by child and adolescent psychiatrists, aiming to ensure that risky children are diagnosed and referred earlier and diagnosed in early childhood. The aim of this study is to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of an ASD training program provided to primary healthcare professionals. Three hundred and three individuals consisting of family physicians and family healthcare workers (FHW) who participated in the ASD training program were recruited in the study in the Muğla province of Türkiye.

The Knowledge About Childhood Autism Among Health Workers Questionnaire (KCAHW) was completed by all participants before and after the training. The mean total KCAHW scores pre- and post-training were 13.12±3.14 and 16.48±2.02, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in Domains 1, 2, 3, and 4 and the total scores pre- and post-training (p<0.001). The effect sizes of the differences in KCAHW domains 1, 2, 3, 4, and the total score for family physicians and FHWs’ pre- and post-test means were 0.24, 0.01, 0.08, 0.14, and 0.22, respectively.

Family physicians and the FHWs benefited from the intervention in all domains of the KCAHW. The training program provided within the scope of the ASD screening and follow-up program significantly increased knowledge and awareness of ASD in primary healthcare providers.