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Published on: January 11, 2016
Unmet needs and health care utilization in young adults with cerebral palsy
Channah Nieuwenhuijsen1, Yvette van der Laar, Mireille Donkervoort
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. c.nieuwenhuijsen@erasmusmc.nl
Insights
Young adults with cerebral palsy (CP) report significant unmet needs in information, mobility, and healthcare, despite frequent professional contact. Addressing these gaps is crucial for improving their care and well-being.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) affects young adults, necessitating an understanding of their ongoing healthcare needs.
- Transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare presents unique challenges for individuals with CP.
- Existing research often focuses on childhood CP, leaving a gap in understanding young adult experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate unmet healthcare needs in young adults with cerebral palsy (CP).
- To examine healthcare utilization patterns among young adults with CP.
- To explore the relationship between unmet needs, healthcare use, and individual characteristics.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 29 young adults with CP (IQ > 70).
- Assessment of subject characteristics including age, gender, motor function, education, participation, and autonomy.
- Utilized questionnaires for needs assessment, impact on participation/autonomy, and healthcare utilization.
Main Results:
- High rates of unmet needs reported in information (79%), mobility (66%), and healthcare (66%).
- Approximately half utilized rehabilitation physicians (52%) and physical therapists (55%) in the past year.
- Lower gross motor functioning correlated with more unmet needs and higher healthcare professional visits, though higher functioning individuals also reported unmet needs.
Conclusions:
- Young adults with CP experience unmet needs in crucial areas like diagnosis information, functional mobility, and formal healthcare services.
- Despite regular contact with healthcare professionals, specific needs remain unaddressed.
- Clinical practice should integrate targeted support for these identified unmet needs in young adults with CP.
Purpose:
To gain insight into the unmet needs and utilization of health care of young adults with cerebral palsy (CP) and to explore relations between unmet needs, health care utilization and subject characteristics.
Method:
A cross-sectional study was performed in 29 young adults with CP without severe learning disabilities (IQ > 70). Subject characteristics such as age, gender, limb distribution, level of gross motor functioning, level of education and perceived participation and autonomy were measured. Outcome measures were the Southampton Needs Assessment Questionnaire, Impact on Participation and Autonomy and a questionnaire on health care utilization.
Results:
Young adults with CP reported unmet needs mostly on information (79%), mobility (66%) and health care (66%). About half of the participants visited a rehabilitation physician (52%) or a physical therapist (55%) in the past year. Participants with lower levels of gross motor functioning were found to have more unmet needs and visited various health care professionals more often than young adults with higher levels of gross motor functioning. However, participants with higher levels of gross motor functioning still reported several unmet needs.
Conclusions:
Although young adults with CP frequently receive treatment from health care professionals, they indicate unmet needs with respect to several areas such as information on diagnosis, functional mobility and formal health care. In the treatment of young adults with CP, attention should be paid to these aspects.
