Alison Dillon
Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Title: Primary care physicians’ knowledge of autism symptoms and evidence based interventions for autism: A systematic review
Biography
Biography: Alison Dillon
Abstract
Given the increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the importance of early intervention, it is imperative that primary care physicians (PCPs) have a thorough knowledge of ASD in order to offer families appropriate guidance and supports. This study comprised a systematic review of research assessing PCPs’ knowledge of autism symptoms and evidence based interventions for persons with autism. Results indicated the majority of PCPs had inadequate knowledge of ASD and its associated treatments. Collected data indicated that a variety of variables were associated with PCPs’ knowledge including prior education, location, an interest in ASD, the focus of residency training, continuation of ASD education and rate of ASD cases encountered. Results are discussed with regards to their implications for further education in ASD research and training for PCPs.