Knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among 2nd to 4th Phase MBBS Students of Bangladesh

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), being one of the fastest-growing disabilities in children, is an omnipresent, immutable neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired socialization, impaired verbal and non-verbal communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviour patterns. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from 30 October to 30 November 2019 among the MBBS students of 21 medical colleges in Bangladesh to assess their knowledge of autism. The 'Knowledge about Childhood Autism among Health Workers (KCAHW)' questionnaire containing 19 item questions divided into four domains was used. The total median score in the KCAHW questionnaire is 13 out of 19. The final total of respondents numbered 483. There were 215 (44.51%) male and 268 (55.49%) female students. Among 21 medical colleges, 10 are situated in the Dhaka district and 11 outside Dhaka; 14 medical colleges were public, and seven were private. The study shows that students' knowledge of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not up to the mark. While assessing the knowledge in each domain, Domain 4 (knowledge regarding nature, comorbidities, and onset) shows that only 32.6% of students of 4th phase and 21.5% of other phases have scored more than the median value, revealing that medical students were not familiar with nature, comorbidities, and the onset of ASD. It can be reliably diagnosed before two years of age, but the practical scenario is a different picturesque. Thus, medical students should have bona fide knowledge to diagnose this progressively prevailing disorder at the earliest possible time. We hope this study's aftermath will significantly impact the integrity and diversity of autism spectrum disorder.