Use of health services and unmet needs among adults with cerebral palsy in Ireland

Abstract

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common childhood neurodevelopmental condition. Although motor impairments are a key feature, 1 individuals with CP also experience associated impairments such as epilepsy, cognitive, visual, hearing, or speech impairments. 1,2 Most children with CP survive well into adulthood. 3 As adults, those with CP may experience several comorbidities including pain and decline in their mobility. 4,5 However, it has been reported that health service use by individuals with CP decreases following transition from child to adulthood, possibly because of lack of available health service. 6,7 A mixed-methods systematic review found that adults with CP visit a range of health professionals such as general practitioners, dentists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, rehabilitation specialists, speech and language therapists, and psychologists. 8 However, most studies described health service use in relatively small samples (< 300 adults), which may result in imprecise estimates of the proportion using each service. 8 Studies that included larger samples were limited to young adults [9][10][11] or focused on specialist medical services, emergency department visits, general practitioners, and inpatient and outpatient services. 12,13 There is still a lack of evidence about

Meeting the unmet needs of disabled adults with cerebral palsy

“…Personal assistance is also key in reducing overdependence on families, especially when they impose decisions rather than support self‐determination. The current findings suggest that many individuals with CP were not adequately supported for independent living and community inclusion 1 …”

“…The study also aimed to identify factors associated with service use by adults with CP. The results show that age, living arrangements, and wheelchair use were associated with service use 1 . These results suggest that developing effective services for underserved populations requires identifying not only general needs for all populations but also specific needs in different types of care and for different subpopulations of disabled individuals.…”

“…One of the findings of this study is the relatively high level of unmet needs for personal assistance, especially for adults living with parents or other relatives 1 . Personal assistance compensates for disability by delegating tasks of choice to another individual or purchasing assistance.…”

“…The study by Manikandan et al 1 examines the use of health services and unmet needs of adults with cerebral palsy (CP) in Ireland. Findings show that although adults with CP used various health services, they still reported having unmet needs 1 . These findings point at the possibility that individuals with CP and other disabilities are not provided with accessible, high‐quality services, although this right is clearly stated in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.…”

“…The study by Manikandan et al 1 examines the use of health services and unmet needs of adults with cerebral palsy (CP) in Ireland. Findings show that although adults with CP used various health services, they still reported having unmet needs 1 .…”