Caregiving for children with autism in africa: A scoping review of socioeconomic impact with a call for intersectoral collaboration.

Abstract

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition recognized as a significant global public health concern. However, there is limited understanding of the socioeconomic impact on caregivers in Africa. This scoping review synthesizes evidence from studies across African nations to examine the socioeconomic burdens faced by caregivers of children with autism. An extensive literature search was conducted across databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and African Journals Online (AJOL) using appropriate keywords and Boolean operators. The articles were screened for eligibility, ensuring that only studies conducted in Africa and reporting the socioeconomic impact on caregivers of children with autism were included. Data was extracted and synthesized thematically. Quality assessment was done using the CASP tool. Out of the 450 studies generated across the databases, 15 studies published between 2017 and 2025 met the eligibility criteria. The studies involved were all conducted in African countries. Caregivers experienced direct financial burdens such as expenses for healthcare, special dietary requirements, education, and transport. Indirect financial burden included poor productivity and job losses. Additionally, the caregivers experienced psychosocial effects such as depression, grief, stigma, and social exclusion, especially the mothers. Across the studies, most caregivers had challenges in accessing socialized therapy and healthcare services due to poor infrastructure. The demands of autism cause a significant financial burden and social exclusion for caregivers in Africa. Poor access to healthcare services and poor infrastructure further compound this burden, increasing the difficulties experienced by caregivers in Africa. Addressing the autism care crisis in Africa will require joint efforts from governments, NGOs, and health systems, training frontline workers to ensure fair and effective support for both caregivers and autistic individuals.