Scoping Review Examines Neurodiversity Inclusion Across Five Arab Healthcare Systems

A scoping review evaluating neurodiversity awareness, inclusion, and policy development across five Arab healthcare systems has documented uneven regional progress alongside substantial systemic gaps in policy, workforce capacity, and service delivery. Published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the synthesis examined health system responses in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Jordan, three of which are high-income countries. Across the reviewed literature, health system initiatives addressing neurodevelopmental conditions remained largely fragmented, with formal healthcare frameworks showing wide disparities in implementation between nations.

The authors conducted the scoping review in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, systematically searching PubMed/MEDLINE, the Arab World Research Source, Scopus, and Web of Science alongside structured English and Arabic grey literature searches through October 2025. Two independent reviewers screened records and extracted data using standardized methodologies, evaluating peer-reviewed study quality with Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklists and assessing grey literature via the AACODS checklist. Eligible publications focused on neurodiversity and neurodevelopmental conditions—including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disability, and learning disorders—within healthcare settings and reported outcomes concerning awareness, policy, service access, or inclusion.

From the search, 32 peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria, with the majority published between 2019 and 2025. Research contributions were led by Saudi Arabia with 10 studies, followed by Oman with six, Qatar with five, Jordan with four, and the United Arab Emirates with three, alongside four multi-country or regional investigations. Policy developments identified across the literature were predominantly autism-specific rather than covering broader neurodivergent populations. While Qatar’s National Autism Plan established in 2017 and Saudi Arabia’s national autism program represented the most formalized government initiatives, post-diagnostic intervention uptake remained at approximately 5 percent within Qatar’s large-scale screening program. In contrast, Oman and Jordan exhibited limited neurodiversity-specific policy development, relying instead on general disability frameworks.

Across the five nations, healthcare provider knowledge regarding neurodevelopmental conditions was characterized as generally low to moderate. In Saudi Arabia, provider competency scores fell below established thresholds, while documented primary-care knowledge deficits were reported in both Oman and Jordan. Patients and caregivers encountered severe access barriers encompassing diagnostic delays, geographical constraints, and financial costs. In Saudi Arabia, 44.1 percent of guardians experienced delays in securing an initial diagnosis, while in Qatar, 75 percent of patients waited up to one full year for their first intervention visit. In Jordan, 58 percent of patients reported financial costs as a barrier to accessing care.

The review identified telehealth as a promising mechanism for improving service delivery in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, highlighting one UAE telehealth model that successfully decreased waiting times from 7.1 weeks to 1.3 weeks. However, standardized clinical guidelines, national patient registries, and formal transition services from pediatric to adult healthcare were found to be largely absent or unreported across the surveyed systems. The authors concluded that addressing these persistent disparities will require unified clinical guidelines, expanded workforce training, cross-sector integration, and culturally grounded implementation strategies that actively engage community and religious leaders.

Subject of Research: Healthcare awareness and inclusion of neurodiversity across five Arab nations

Article Title: Awareness and Inclusion of Neurodiversity in the Healthcare Systems of Five Arab Countries: A Scoping Review

Article References: Saleh, T. H., Qoronfleh, M. W., & Mohammed, S. G. A. A. (2026). Awareness and Inclusion of Neurodiversity in the Healthcare Systems of Five Arab Countries: A Scoping Review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-026-07582-z

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s10803-026-07582-z

Keywords: neurodiversity, Arab healthcare systems, scoping review, autism spectrum disorder, health policy, telehealth, diagnostic delays, healthcare access, Awareness, Inclusion, Healthcare, Systems