Frontiers in Drug Safety and Regulation · Published 2026-06-16 · DOI 10.3389/fdsfr.2026.1816967
Luiz Jupiter Carneiro de Souza, Luis Phillipe Nagem Lopes, Mariana Del Grossi Moura, Katia Miyuki Sasaki Zeredo, José Fernando Salvador Carrillo, Joaquim Lucas Júnior, Mabel Fernandes Figueiró, Jose Antonio Silvestre Fernandes Neto, Luciane Cruz Lopes, Waldecy Rodrigues
IntroductionDiagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) remains a significant challenge for health services worldwide. Delayed diagnosis can lead to negative outcomes for individuals and increased costs for healthcare systems. Utilizing public health databases presents a strategy for identifying clinical characteristics that facilitate the early detection of ASD. This study aims to systematically map the existing evidence on the use of public health databases for the early identification of children and adults with ASD, irrespective of geographic location.Methods and AnalysisThis scoping review will follow the methodological guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute. A comprehensive search strategy, validated by a professional librarian, will be conducted across multiple databases, including MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and LILACS (via the Virtual Health Library). Gray literature will be reviewed using ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. The review will include only primary studies that utilize public health databases for the early detection of ASD. No restrictions on language or geographic location will be applied. Screening and data extraction will be independently conducted by two trained reviewers, followed by a thematic categorization of studies based on similarities.Ethics and DisseminationEthical approval is not required since this review will exclusively utilize data from published scientific articles. Preliminary findings and final results will be disseminated through presentations at relevant conferences and publications in peer-reviewed journals.Registration NumberOpen Science Framework. DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/RMVWE (https://osf.io/rmvwe/).
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
Read the article at the publisher →
Souza, L., Lopes, L., Moura, M., et al. (2026). Use of public health databases for the early identification of Autism spectrum disorder: a scoping review protocol. Frontiers in Drug Safety and Regulation. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdsfr.2026.1816967