Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder resources for health professionals: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: This scoping review aimed to identify and critically appraise resources for health professionals to identify, diagnose, refer, and support individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)-including the extent to which the resources are appropriate for use in communities with First Nations Peoples. METHOD: Seven peer-reviewed databases (April 2022) and 14 grey literature websites (August 2022) were searched. The reference lists of all sources that underwent full-text review were handsearched, and FASD experts were consulted for additional sources. Resources were assessed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for REsearch and Evaluation II instrument and an adapted version of the National Health and Medical Research Council FORM Framework and iCAHE Guideline Quality Checklist. RESULTS: A total of 41 resources underwent data extraction and critical appraisal, as screening and/or diagnosis guidelines were excluded because they are covered in other reviews. Most were recently published or updated (n=24), developed in the USA (n=15, 36.6%) or Australia (n=12, 29.3%) and assisted with FASD patient referral or support (n=40). Most management guidelines scored 76%-100% on overall quality assessment (n=5/9) and were recommended for use in the Australian context with modifications (n=7/9). Most of the guides (n=15/22) and factsheets (n=7/10) received a 'good' overall score. Few (n=3/41) resources were explicitly designed for or with input from First Nations Australians. CONCLUSION: High-quality resources are available to support health professionals providing referrals and support to individuals with FASD, including language guides. Resources should be codesigned with people living with FASD to capture and integrate their knowledge and preferences.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder resources for health professionals: a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: People with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) encounter a range of health and allied health providers and require specialised support to ensure health services are provided safely and effectively. Not all health professionals possess the knowledge or expertise required for the identification, assessment, referral and management of FASD. Accessible resources for understanding and managing FASD can help create awareness in health professionals and ensure patients receive the correct diagnosis and timely access to the necessary supports and services. The aim of this scoping review is to identify and analyse FASD resources for health professionals. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A comprehensive search of eight databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMED, EMBASE, Web of Science and Trip Medical Database) and nine grey literature databases (FASD Hub, NOFASD Australia, National Organisation for FASD, FASD United, HealthInfoNet, Proof Alliance, Child Family Community Australia, Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education and the Australian Department of Health websites) will be conducted using three search engines including PubMed, Ovid and Google advanced search (search dates: October 2021 to May 2022). Consultations will also be carried out with international and national experts in the diagnosis/management of FASD to obtain any additional relevant published or unpublished resources. Inclusion criteria were developed to guide the selection of resources that are publicly available, primarily focused on FASD and curated for health professionals for the identification, management or referral of FASD. Critical appraisal process will be executed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for REsearch & Evaluation II (AGREE II) tool to assess the quality of selected resources. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required for the scoping review. Scoping review results will be presented at relevant national and international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Search results will be made available to ensure reproducibility and transparency.