Health-Related Quality of Life of Nigerian Children with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To assess the impact of cerebral palsy on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of Nigerian children.</p><p><strong>Method</strong>: This is a cross-sectional survey. The study involved 54 children (33 males and 21 females), between 1 and 12 years of age, with cerebral palsy. They were consecutively recruited from two tertiary health institutions in Lagos, Nigeria.<strong> </strong></p><p>The socio-demographic details of the participants were obtained through interviews. Their HRQoL was assessed using the Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form-28 (CHQ-PF 28). The questionnaire was completed by their parents, guardians or primary care-givers. Severity of motor disability was assessed and classified using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Data were summarised using descriptive statistics. Chi-square was used to find the association between each of the selected socio-demographic variables and motor disability, and HRQoL.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty-eight children (70.3%) were between 1 and 6 years of age, and 16 (29.7%) were between 7 and 12 years. The participants’ overall scores and scores on each domain of CHQ-PF 28 were very low. Majority (69.5%) were in GMFCS classification-level 1, 7 (13.0%) were in level 2, 12 (22.2%) were in level 3, 14 (25.9%) were in level 4, and 16 (29.6%) were in level 5. Age had significant effect (CI = 95%) on HRQoL of children with cerebral palsy. Severity of disability had negative impact (CI = 95%) on HRQoL of children with cerebral palsy.<strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The health-related quality of life of Nigerian children with cerebral palsy is low, and is negatively affected by age and severity of disability.<strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Key words: </strong><em>Quality of life, cerebral palsy, children, Nigeria</em></p><p>doi 10.5463/DCID.v22i2.24</p

A Review of Gross Motor Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy in Zaria, North-Western Nigeria

“…A high proportion of cases in the lower GMFCS levels has been reported from other regions in Nigeria [9,2] , Brazil [24] and Japan [25] while a higher GMFCS levels have observed in population based studies from Holland [26], Australia [27], and Sweden [28]. The finding in our study, and in other studies with a similar outcome [9,21], could have been influenced by the tertiary health care setting in which the study was conducted. Tertiary health institutions are apt to receiving more severe cases of cerebral palsy whose management could not be addressed at lower levels of health care delivery or at home.…”

“…The high prevalence of lower level GMFCS functioning in the subjects might have negative implications for their nutritional status, HRQoL and long term survival [9,21,25]. Okeke et al [9] and Tella et al [2]1 in their studies, which were conducted in similar circumstances as in our study, observed a significantly negative association between lower GMFCS levels and these variables (nutrition and HRQoL).…”

“…Studies on motor function using the GMFCS classification indicate a variable distribution among populations with cerebral palsy [9,21,[24][25][26][27][28]. A high proportion of cases in the lower GMFCS levels has been reported from other regions in Nigeria [9,2] , Brazil [24] and Japan [25] while a higher GMFCS levels have observed in population based studies from Holland [26], Australia [27], and Sweden [28].…”

“…Reports on motor function classification using the GMFCS in Nigeria are few [9,21]. They indicate a high prevalence of those in the most impaired levels of the GMFCS, and a significantly negative impact of severe motor function impairment on nutrition9 and the health related quality of life (HRQoL) [21], in children with cerebral palsy.…”

Use of Skype to Educate Underprivileged Blind Children in India: Motivations, Barriers and Teaching Strategies

“…There has been exhaustive research on children with special needs like cerebral palsy (Tella et al, 2011;Shanbhag and Krishnamurthy, 2012;Lee and Chon, in press), epilepsy (Gbiri and Akingbohungbe, 2011;Blocher et al, 2013;Hrabok et al, 2013), hearing impairment (Sarkar and Rout, 2012;Martin et al, 2013), Down syndrome (Nadkarni et al, 2012;Galeote et al, 2013;Galli et al, in press), and language impairments (Chakravarthi, 2012;Hesketh and Conti-Ramsden, 2013;Przybylski et al, 2013). However there has not been much research on the education of blind children.…”