Qualificação dos profissionais de saúde da atenção primária sobre o transtorno do espectro autista

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) begins in childhood, with the main characteristics being difficulties in communication and development. In recent years, the incidence of cases has increased; however, early diagnosis remains a challenge for healthcare teams worldwide, including in Brazil. The objective of this study was to analyze the methodologies and diagnostic tools used by primary healthcare professionals for patients with autism spectrum disorder. Methods: This is an integrative literature review that selects studies from the Virtual Health Library (VHL), the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), PubMed, and the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) databases. Results: Of the six studies included, two were conducted in Brazil, three in the United States, and one in Australia. All demonstrated that professionals feel insecure and incapable when attending to autistic patients, are not prepared to attend to this population safely, and have limited knowledge on the subject. Conclusion: Primary healthcare professionals are unprepared to care for patients with autism spectrum disorder, leading to late diagnosis and affecting the development of these children, who end up being referred to a multidisciplinary team very late.