The French EVAL-PLH cohort of persons with polyhandicap

Mortality in French people with polyhandicap/profound intellectual and multiple disabilities

BACKGROUND

In recent decades, progress has been made in the care of people with polyhandicap/profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) through a better understanding of the pathophysiology and the development of new care management and rehabilitation strategies adapted to these extreme pathologies. Although there is a lack of knowledge about the health status and care management of the oldest people, a better understanding of the natural course of life of people with polyhandicap/PIMD would consequently allow the optimisation of preventive and curative care management strategies. Few robust data on mortality and life expectancy have been documented for this population in France. Our aims are to estimate the median survival time and assess the factors associated with mortality in people with polyhandicap/PIMD receiving care in France.

METHODS

This study included people with polyhandicap/PIMD, followed by the French national cohort 'Eval-PLH' since 2015. These individuals were included in specialised rehabilitation centres and residential institutions. The people included in the first wave of the cohort (2015-2016) were eligible for the present study. Vital status on 1 January 2022 (censoring date) was collected in two ways: (1) spontaneous reporting by the participating centre to the coordinating team and (2) systematic checking on the French national death platform. According to the vital status, survival was calculated in years from the date of birth to the date of death or from the date of birth to the censoring date. The factors associated with mortality were evaluated using the Cox proportional regression hazards model.

RESULTS

Data from 780 individuals aged between 3 and 67 years were analysed. At the censoring date, 176 (22.6%) had died, and the mean survival was 52.8 years (95% confidence interval: 51.1-54.5). Mortality was significantly associated with a progressive aetiology, recurrent pulmonary infections, drug-resistant epilepsy and a higher number of medical devices.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows for the first time the survival and impact of factors associated with mortality in people with polyhandicap/PIMD in France.

Health care management adequacy among French persons with severe profound intellectual and multiple disabilities: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

The care organization of persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) varies by country according to the health care system. This study used a large sample of French individuals with severe PIMD/polyhandicap to assess: 1) the adequacy of care setting over a 5-year period and 2) health care consumption.

METHODS

The longitudinal study used data from the French EVALuation PoLyHandicap (EVAL-PLH) cohort of persons with severe PIMD/polyhandicap who were receiving managed in specialized care centres and residential facilities. Two assessments were performed: wave 1 (T1) in 2015-2016 and wave 2 (T2) in 2020-2021. The inclusion criteria were as follows: age > 3 years at the time of inclusion; age at onset of cerebral lesion younger than 3 years old; and severe PIMD. The adequacy of the care setting was based on the following: i) objective indicators, i.e., adequacy for age and adequacy for health status severity; ii) subjective indicators, i.e., self-perception of the referring physician about medical care adequacy and educational care adequacy. Health care consumption was assessed based on medical and paramedical care.

RESULTS

Among the 492 persons assessed at the 2 times, 50% of individuals at T1 and 46% of individuals at T2 were in an inadequate care setting based on age and severity. Regarding global subjective inadequacy, the combination of medical adequacy and educational adequacy, 7% of individuals at T1 and 13% of individuals at T2 were in an inadequate care setting. At T2, a majority of individuals were undermonitored by medical care providers (general practitioners, physical medicine rehabilitation physicians, neurologists, orthopaedists, etc.). Important gaps were found between performed and prescribed sessions of various paramedical care (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychomotor therapy, etc.).

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed key elements of inadequate care management for persons with severe PIMD/polyhandicap in France. Based on these important findings, healthcare workers, familial caregivers, patients experts, and health decision-makers should develop appropriate care organizations to optimize the global care management of these individuals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT02400528, registered 27/03/2015.

Polyhandicap, profound intellectual multiple disabilities : Concept and definition of a highly specific public health issue

OBJECTIVES

The concept of polyhandicap first emerged in the late '60s in France, with actually a consensus on its definition. This consensus has yet to be reached internationally. The absence of an international consensus on a definition and name for persons with polyhandicap limits progress in research and health planning for these people.

METHODS

This article describes the history of the emergence of the concept of polyhandicap in France and internationally.

RESULTS

The emergence of the concept and definition of polyhandicap is part of the history of the development of special education and care for children with disabilities started at the end of the 19th century and during the first half of the 20th century. In France, between 1970 and 2002, working groups composed of professionals and family associations gradually developed and refined the definition of polyhandicap, differentiating it from other clinical entities such as cerebral palsy. Internationally, the term polyhandicap is used in 4 European countries: in France where it first appeared, in Italy, in French-speaking Belgium, and in French-speaking Switzerland but also outside the EU. Various terms may be used around the world to describe clinical entities similar to polyhandicap; the most frequently used in the literature is the term Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities (PIMD) or PIMD Spectrum which does not systematically refer to an early brain injury.

DISCUSSION

We are currently in the process of internationalizing the concept and definition of polyhandicap, and hopefully, as was the case for cerebral palsy in the 2000s, the various research teams working on this subject around the world will create collaborations and research networks targeting this specific population.

CONCLUSION

A consensus around a precise definition of polyhandicap is important to ensure that these people are recognized for their uniqueness and specific qualities and to provide them adapted care.