(1262) Nigerian Hospital and Community Pharmacists’ Knowledge, Awareness, and Perceptions of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Objectives: 1) To describe and compare Nigerian hospital and community pharmacists' knowledge, awareness, and perceptions of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs); 2) To determine if there is a significant correlation between pharmacists’ knowledge, awareness, and perceptions of ASDs; 3) To determine what demographic and practice factors are significantly related to pharmacists’ awareness of ASDs.

Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were administered to hospital pharmacists attending a national conference in Nigeria as well as practicing community pharmacists in Nigeria recruited from a listserv. Outcomes were pharmacists’ knowledge, awareness, and perceptions of ASDs. Knowledge was measured using a 12-item true/false/don’t know scale. Correct responses received 1 point, and incorrect responses received 0 points (range: 0-100%). Awareness was measured using a 5-item 5-point Likert-type scale (1=not familiar at all, 5=completely familiar). Perceptions were measured using a 5-point Likert scale (1=strongly disagree, 5=strongly agree) with 5 single items focused on: confidence with ASDs medication counseling, comfortability with dispensing ASDs medications, benefits of including ASDs content in pharmacy school curriculum, benefits of ASDs continuing education (CE), and benefits of pharmacists’ services regarding ASDs. All scales and survey items were adapted from previously used instruments. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential (independent t-tests, Pearson’s correlations, and multiple linear regressions) statistics.

Results: A total of 383 usable responses [N=201 hospital (response rate=88.3%) and N=182 community (response rate=unknown)] were obtained. Knowledge and awareness had acceptable reliability (0.75, 0.85 respectively). Overall, knowledge was suboptimal (55.619.7%); however, community pharmacists scored significantly higher than hospital pharmacists (58.119.0% vs. 53.220.1%; p=0.0016). Overall mean awareness score was 2.90.8, which showed pharmacists were only moderately aware, and there was no significant difference between community and hospital pharmacists. Regarding perceptions, pharmacists were neutral regarding their confidence in providing ASDs medication counseling (3.21.2), but agreed that they were comfortable with dispensing ASDs medications (3.61.1). However, they strongly agreed that ASDs training should be included in pharmacy curriculum (4.60.8), and that pharmacists could benefit from ASDs CE (4.60.8). Respondents also strongly agreed that people with autism (PWA) could benefit from pharmacists’ services (4.60.8). Compared to community pharmacists, hospital pharmacists had significantly higher confidence in providing ASDs medication counseling (3.41.1 vs. 3.11.2; p=0.0025) and comfortability with dispensing ASDs medications (3.71.0 vs. 3.41; p=0.0075). Of the 21 correlations, 17 were significant, with the strongest correlations observed between perceived benefits of ASDs CE and perceived benefits of pharmacists’ services to PWA (r=0.69, p< 0.0001), as well as between perceived benefits of ASDs CE and perceptions regarding ASDs training in the pharmacy school (r=0.64, p< 0.0001). Regression results revealed that positive perceptions regarding ASDs training in the pharmacy school and receiving ASDs CE, as well as having < 5 years of practice experience were significantly associated with higher awareness of ASDs.

Conclusions: Pharmacists' lack of knowledge, awareness, and low confidence in counseling PWA may negatively affect the provision of pharmacist services and treatment outcomes for individuals with ASDs in Nigeria. Strategic and tailored educational interventions during pharmacy school and pharmacy practice may better equip pharmacists to care for this growing population.