DOI: 10.30565/medalanya.1873067 ISSN: 2587-0319

Early Neurodevelopmental Assessment in Primary Care: Knowledge, Clinical Practices, And Barriers Among Family Physicians

Özden Aksu Sayman, Duygu Çalışkan, Günce Başarır, Cansu Turan, Semra Özal Özkan Alpaslan, Arife Uslu Gökceoğlu
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Aim: The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the knowledge levels, clinical practices, and perceive barriers to early childhood neurodevelopmental assessment among family physicians working in primary care settings.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 121 family physicians who had been actively working for at least six months in two districts and volunteered to participate in the research. A 23-item structured questionnaire, developed based on current literature, was utilized as the data collection tool. Data were collected between November 15 and December 31, 2025.Results: The majority of physicians conducting early neurodevelopmental assessments stated that they based their evaluations on clinical observation and physical examination. Only 2 (1.9%) reported using a standard screening tool. Forty participants (33.0%) stated that they had never heard of any developmental screening tests before. The most frequently reported barrier to implementation was insufficient examination time, followed by workload and difficulty accessing appropriate tools. Red flag knowledge levels were scored out of 10, with a median value of 6 (4-7). There was no statistically significant difference between red flag knowledge scores and having previously received training in developmental assessment (p=0.3), professional experience (p=0.87), or level of professional education (p=0.7). Conclusion: The absence of significant differences in neurodevelopmental knowledge scores based on previous training indicates that current training models have limited effectiveness in improving clinical competence. Furthermore, time constraints and insufficient use of standardized screening tools underscore the concrete need for structured support at the primary care level. Training models that strengthen physicians' practical skills and brief screening tools integrated into routine practice will enable more effective monitoring of neurodevelopmental processes at the primary care level.

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