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Comparative study of HRQoL and physical activity in children with and without cerebral palsy
Maha Algabbani1, Njoud Alamoudi1, Reema Alshubaily1
1Department of Rehabilitation Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Quality of life (QoL) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is influenced by clinical factors, not physical activity or sedentary behavior. Interventions should target individual clinical needs for these children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Quality of Life Research
- Child Development
Background:
- Children with cerebral palsy (CP) face physical impairments affecting quality of life (QoL).
- Understanding factors influencing QoL is crucial for this population.
- Comparison with typically developing (TD) children provides valuable insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and QoL in children with CP and TD children.
- To identify demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical factors affecting QoL.
- To determine if these influences differ between children with CP and TD children.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 40 children with spastic CP (GMFCS I-III) and 42 age-matched TD children (aged 6-12 years).
- Data collection included socio-demographics, physical measurements, accelerometry for PA and SB, and QoL assessment using the Arabic PedsQL™ 4.0.
- Comparative analysis between the CP and TD groups was performed.
Main Results:
- TD children reported significantly higher overall QoL, physical, and social functioning compared to children with CP.
- Children with CP exhibited higher SB and light PA levels.
- For children with CP, QoL was strongly associated with clinical factors (GMFCS level, walking aids, orthotics), but not PA, SB, or anthropometrics. Demographic and socioeconomic factors did not significantly impact QoL in either group.
Conclusions:
- Factors influencing QoL significantly differ between children with and without CP.
- Clinical characteristics are paramount for QoL in children with CP.
- Personalized interventions addressing specific clinical needs are essential to improve QoL in children with CP.
Background:
Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often experience physical impairments impacting their quality of life (QoL). This study investigated how physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and various demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical factors relate to QoL and whether these influences differ between children with CP and typically developing (TD) children.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 40 children, aged 6-12 years, with spastic CP (GMFCS I-III) and 42 age-matched TD children. Data collected included socio-demographics, physical measurements, accelerometer (ActiGraph), and QoL using the Arabic PedsQL™ 4.0.
Results:
TD children reported significantly higher QoL in physical and social functioning, as well as overall QoL, compared with children with CP. Children with CP showed more SB and light PA. For TD children, SB showed a positive correlation with QoL, while moderate PA exhibited a negative correlation with certain QoL domains. In contrast, for children with CP, QoL was strongly linked to clinical characteristics (GMFCS level, walking aids, orthotics) but not to PA, SB, or anthropometrics. Importantly, demographic and socioeconomic factors did not significantly influence QoL in either group.
Conclusion:
The study concludes that factors influencing QoL differ significantly between children with and without CP, with clinical factors being more influential for children with CP. This highlights the need for personalized interventions targeting specific clinical needs to enhance QoL in children with CP.
