Abstract
Epidemiological surveys from various countries indicate an increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), leading researchers to debate whether there are now ‘more affected’ or ‘more detected’. The epidemiology of ASD in developing countries, such as Oman, has generally indicated a lower prevalence compared to developed countries in the West. In Oman, the prevalence is low; however, this article highlights some of the factors that could contribute to the appearance of a low ASD rate: cross-cultural variations in the presentation of distress; a lack of reliable biological markers for diagnosing ASD, and a lack of health services for children with ASD, thus limiting the number of participants in epidemiological surveys. While the defining features of ASD have yet to be established, pilot studies in Oman indicate a substantial number of children with these disorders. Therefore, it is important that these discrepancies be addressed and the need for appropriate services for this patient population in Oman be highlighted.
Publication details
- DOI
- 10.18295/2075-0528.1683
- Journal
- Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 15(2), 213-217
- Publisher
- Sultan Qaboos University
- Open access
- Gold open access
- License
- CC BY-ND 4.0
Cite this article
APA 7
Ouhtit, A., Al-Farsi, Y., Waly, M., Mostafa, Gupta, I., Al-Farsi, O., Al Khaduri, M., Al-Shafaee, M., & Al-Adawi, S. (2025). Underlying Factors Behind the Low Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Oman: Sociocultural perspective. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 15(2), 213-217. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1683
MLA 9
Ouhtit, Allal, et al. "Underlying Factors Behind the Low Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Oman: Sociocultural perspective." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 15, no. 2, 2025, pp. 213-217. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1683.
Chicago (author–date)
Ouhtit, Allal, Yahya Al-Farsi, Marwan Waly, Mostafa, Ishita Gupta, Omar Al-Farsi, Maha Al Khaduri, Mohammed Al-Shafaee, and Samir Al-Adawi. 2025. "Underlying Factors Behind the Low Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Oman: Sociocultural perspective." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal 15 (2): 213-217. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1683.
Harvard
Ouhtit, A., Al-Farsi, Y., Waly, M., Mostafa, Gupta, I., Al-Farsi, O., Al Khaduri, M., Al-Shafaee, M. and Al-Adawi, S. (2025) 'Underlying Factors Behind the Low Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Oman: Sociocultural perspective', Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 15(2), pp. 213-217. doi:10.18295/2075-0528.1683.
Vancouver
Ouhtit A, Al-Farsi Y, Waly M, Mostafa, Gupta I, Al-Farsi O, et al. Underlying Factors Behind the Low Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Oman: Sociocultural perspective. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal. 2025;15(2):213-217. doi:10.18295/2075-0528.1683
IEEE
A. Ouhtit, Y. Al-Farsi, M. Waly, Mostafa, I. Gupta, O. Al-Farsi, M. Al Khaduri, M. Al-Shafaee, and S. Al-Adawi, "Underlying Factors Behind the Low Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Oman: Sociocultural perspective," Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 213-217, 2025, doi: 10.18295/2075-0528.1683.