Assessing Autism Knowledge Across the Global Landscape Using the ASK-Q

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Autism service provision shows significant global disparities.
• Limited autism knowledge in low- and middle-income countries may contribute to service gaps.
• Quantifying autism knowledge across diverse nations has been challenging due to measurement limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify and compare autism knowledge and stigma across different countries and demographics.
• To identify factors influencing the variation in autism knowledge globally.
• To pinpoint regions and populations requiring enhanced autism information and support.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Autism Stigma and Knowledge Questionnaire (ASK-Q) adapted for international use.
• Collected data from 6830 participants across 13 countries on four continents.
• Employed structural equation modeling to analyze variations in autism knowledge based on country and individual factors.

Main Results:

• Significant cross-country variability in autism knowledge was observed, with a 17-point difference between the highest (Canada) and lowest (Lebanon) scoring countries.
• Higher national economic status correlated with increased autism knowledge.
• Autism knowledge differed based on country worldview, participant occupation, gender, age, and education level.

Conclusions:

• Autism knowledge is not uniformly distributed globally, highlighting disparities in public understanding.
• Economic factors and socio-demographic characteristics significantly influence levels of autism knowledge.
• Findings underscore the need for targeted educational interventions in specific countries and populations to improve autism awareness and reduce stigma.