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Early Access and Adherence to Physiotherapy in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Hospital-Based Study in Cameroon
Dominique Enyama1, Ibrahim Npochinto Moumeni, Emmanuel Soh Fongang
1Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon (Drs Enyama, Moumeni, Mr Fongang, Drs Douryang, Atemkeng, and Njinkui); Department of Paediatrics, Douala Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital, Douala, Cameroon (Drs Enyama and Njinkui); Physical Medicine and Osteopathy Department, Bafoussam regional hospital, Bafoussam, Cameroon (Dr Moumeni); and Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Physiotherapy, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin (Dr Sogbossi).
Insights
Early physiotherapy access and adherence are insufficient for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Cameroon. Factors like CP subtype and parental discouragement impact treatment, highlighting the need for improved services.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common childhood neurological disorder.
- Early physiotherapy intervention is crucial for optimizing functional outcomes in children with CP.
- Access and adherence to these services can be challenging in low-resource settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate factors influencing early access to physiotherapy.
- To identify determinants of adherence to physiotherapy services.
- To assess the current status of physiotherapy provision for children with CP in Cameroon.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods (retrospective and prospective) cross-sectional study was conducted in Douala, Cameroon.
- 94 children aged 3–60 months with CP were recruited from a tertiary referral center.
- Data collection involved caregiver interviews and medical record reviews, defining early access and adherence based on specific criteria.
Main Results:
- Only 38.3% of children accessed physiotherapy early (before 5 months).
- Good adherence (≥50% of sessions) was observed in 38.3% of participants.
- Early access was linked to CP subtype and neonatal jaundice; poor adherence correlated with parental discouragement and appointment cancellations.
Conclusions:
- Physiotherapy access and adherence for children with CP in Cameroon are suboptimal.
- Clinical severity appears to be a driver for earlier referrals.
- Interventions are needed to improve service utilization and adherence in this population.
Purpose:
To examine factors related to early access and adherence to physiotherapy services among children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Cameroon.
Methods:
A cross-sectional mixed retrospective and prospective study was conducted in Douala, Cameroon. Children aged 3 to 60 months diagnosed with CP from a tertiary referral center were included. Data were collected through structured caregiver interviews and medical record reviews. Early access was defined as initiating physiotherapy before 5 months of age, and good adherence was defined as completing ≥50% of prescribed sessions.
Results:
Out of 94 children, 36 (38.3%) accessed physiotherapy early, and 36 (38.3%) showed good adherence. Factors significantly linked to early access included CP subtype, neonatal jaundice, and having more than 7 risk factors. Poor adherence was significantly associated with parental discouragement due to lack of improvement and canceled appointments due to the physiotherapist's unavailability.
Conclusions:
Early physiotherapy access and adherence remain inadequate in this Cameroonian setting, with clinical severity prompting earlier referrals.
