"Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex lifelong neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorder that manifests in infancy or early childhood and is characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, and by repetitive, stereotyped behavior. While the diagnosed prevalence of ASD is on the rise, reliable epidemiological data, including risk factors for ASD is lacking in many developing countries, including Pakistan. In this context, the main objective of this study is to evaluate whether there is a lag in information transfer between what is known about ASD in developed countries compared to that which is known amongst general practitioners (GP) in Karachi, Pakistan. More specifically, this research tests the following two hypotheses: (1) Physicians younger than 30 years of age are more likely to have knowledge of ASD, and (2) Among general practitioners who self-reported having an understanding of ASD, when questioned about old and new theories, those that graduated in the distant past (before 1990), will continue to hold antiquated misconceptions regarding ASD diagnosis and treatment. Methods: We utilized the Mediguide Comprehensive Medical Directory to establish a sampling frame for the city of Karachi (n = 5,849 practicing general practitioners), from which a final analytic sample of 348 physicians was derived. We used the statistical software, SASRTM Version 9.4, for all analyses. Results: Of 348 physicians, 148 (44.6%) had heard of the term "autism." Physicians younger than 30 years of age were more likely to self-report knowledge of autism compared to physicians who were older than 50 years of age (OR = 2.30; 95% Cl: 1.17, 4.55). During their medical school training, physicians who had ward rotations in pediatrics and internal medicine were more likely to self-report knowledge of autism (OR = 2.36; 95% Cl: 1.38, 4.03 and OR = 2.37 95% Cl: 1.31, 4.28), respectively. Physicians who graduated after 1990 were 4.28 times more likely to correctly respond to five or more of the eight questions regarding diagnosis and treatment of autism (OR = 4.28; 95% Cl: 1.00, 21.37). Discussion: This study adds to what is currently known about the knowledge disparity with respect to ASD that exists between developed countries and Karachi, Pakistan. As the global prevalence of ASD becomes a major public health concern, narrowing this knowledge gap takes on an increasingly important significance. It is imperative that general practitioners in Karachi gain a contemporary understanding of ASD so that timely interventions can be implemented."--Pages ii-iii.
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