Course of employment in adults with cerebral palsy over a 14-year period

Differences in participation between young adults with cerebral palsy and their peers: A cross-sectional multicentre European study

BACKGROUND

Children and adolescents with disabilities are known to participate less in most areas of life than their non-disabled peers.

OBJECTIVES

(1) To estimate differences in participation between young adults with cerebral palsy (CP) and their non-disabled peers; (2) to test the mediating role of financial difficulties and student status; (3) to test the moderating role of personal factors on participation difference; and (4) to test the moderating role of impairment.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in young adults [19-28 years] with CP (n = 228) and non-disabled peers (n = 2861) in France, Germany and Sweden. Participation was assessed using the Questionnaire of Young People's Participation adapted for young adults (QYPP-YA). Differences in five domains of participation were estimated using structural equation modeling with WLSMV method and bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Young adults with CP showed lower participation than others in all domains, with the largest difference in the "intimate relationships" domain (β = 1.71 bcCI95[1.46; 1.95]). Student status mediated the difference in "intimate relationships", "interpersonal relationships" and "independence". Women showed greater differences than men on "independence". Impairments moderated difference in participation. The less severely impaired young adults showed no difference with their non-CP peers in "interpersonal relationships", "social life" and "independence", but made autonomous everyday decisions more often than their peers.

CONCLUSIONS

Young adults with CP do not have the same opportunities to attain the participation level of non-CP people of the same age. Continuance of education could help to reduce participation difference in "interpersonal relationships" and "independence".

Understanding the use of digital technologies to provide disability services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic; a multiple case study design

BACKGROUND

Using digital technologies to provide services and supports remotely may improve efficiency and accessibility of healthcare, and support people with disabilities to live independently. This study aimed to explore the experience of using digital technologies to access and provide disability services and supports during the Covid-19 pandemic, from the perspective of people with disabilities, families and service providers.

METHODS

Using a multiple case study design, we purposively sampled three cases based on service user characteristics and geographical reach of the service. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 service users and service providers. Topic guides and analysis were informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Analysis followed a largely deductive approach, using the CFIR constructs as a coding framework. A summary memo was developed for each case. Influence and strength of each construct was rated to identify constructs that influenced implementation of digital technologies. Ratings were compared across services to identify facilitators and barriers to implementation.

RESULTS

Service users and providers were positive about using digital technologies to access and provide disability services and supports remotely. Advantages over in-person delivery included reduced travel time, increased opportunity for peer support and peer learning, more choice and opportunity to participate in activities, and an enhanced sense of self while accessing services from the secure environment of their home. The urgency to identify new modes of service delivery to meet the needs of service users during Covid-19 was a strong facilitator but did not necessarily result in successful implementation. Other factors that were strong facilitators were the use of adaptations to enable service users to access the online service, service users' willingness to try the online service, service users' persistence when they encountered challenges, and the significant time and effort that service providers made to support service users to participate in the online service. Barriers to implementation included the complexity of accessing online platforms, poor design quality of online platforms, and organisations prioritising in-person delivery over online services.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings may allow service providers to leverage facilitators that support implementation of online disability services and supports.

Demographic covariates and vocational rehabilitation services as predictors of employment outcomes of people with physical disabilities: a hierarchical logistic regression analysis

PURPOSE

Stable employment is essential for the health, psychosocial, and financial well-being of people with physical disabilities (PwPD). Unfortunately, the low employment rate for PwPD in the U.S. exposes them to adverse effects of unemployment, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and physical pain. Helping PwPD find gainful employment will improve their general health and well-being. However, few empirical studies examine factors affecting the employment outcomes of PwPD. This study aims to examine the relationship between demographic covariates, vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, and employment outcomes of PwPD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This secondary data analysis study includes 17,598 PwPD from the U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration's Case Service Report (RSA-911) dataset. Our analysical approach was hierarchical logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

For VR services, workplace support, technology support, job placement assistance, and VR counseling significantly contribute to predicting employment outcomes for PwPD. Even after entering VR services, the demographic variables (age, race, education, referral sources, low-income, long-term unemployment, and disability significancy) were still significant predictors of employment.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this study can be used by state VR counselors and other disability service providers to plan and select effective employment-related interventions to improve the employment outcomes of PwPD.

Exploring the unmet needs of adults with cerebral palsy living in urban South Africa

PURPOSE

The investigators aimed to understand the unmet needs of adults with cerebral palsy (CP) living in urban South Africa and to ascertain similarities or differences to typically developing (TD) adults in the same community.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Participants were interviewed with an adapted version of the Southampton Needs Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ). Non-parametric statistical analysis was utilised for quantitative data and qualitative data were analysed using free coding to identify themes.

RESULTS

Thirty adults with CP (median age 34.8 years; GMFCS levels I/II/III/IV/V: n = 6/6/5/7/6; socio-economic status (SES) low/average/high: n = 8/17/5) were matched for gender, age, and SES. Adults with CP reported a higher unemployment rate and lower level of satisfaction with access to health services than TD peers. Core themes identified by the participants with CP that made community participation more difficult were physical capacity, poor access to accommodation, transport and health services, lack of socialising opportunities, poor universal design, and lack of financial independence.

CONCLUSIONS

Adults with CP reported experiencing many challenges in their communities. Improved access to health care services and transport, and the universal design of housing and community buildings to accommodate individuals with a disability should be made a priority.Implications for rehabilitationAdults with cerebral palsy (CP) reported that their disability had an impact on their social life, home life, and work life.Accessibility issues have been identified as a major factor affecting adults with CP in a variety of areas, including access to and use of health services, housing, transportation, and community buildings.Adults with CP reported the need for support during the transition to adulthood, especially with developing life skills that will promote living independently in the community as adults with disabilities.

Impairments and comorbidities in adults with cerebral palsy and spina bifida: a meta-analysis

Introduction

Aging with a childhood-onset disability, such as cerebral palsy (CP), spina bifida (SB), and muscular diseases (MD), comes along with significant impairments and comorbidities. Despite the increasing evidence an overall picture is lacking. This study aimed to review the literature about adults with CP/SB/MD and impairments and comorbidities to perform a meta-analysis.

Materials and methods

Embase, PubMed, Cinahl, and Google Scholar were searched (2000-2020). Search terms included adults with one of the aforementioned disabilities combined with impairments and comorbidities. If specific impairments or comorbidities were reported by at least four studies, these were included in the study. Pooled prevalence (95% Confidence Interval) of impairments/comorbidities were calculated.

Results

The search yielded 7,054 studies of which 95 were included in the meta-analysis (64 CP, 31 SB, 0 MD). In total estimates were calculated for 26 (CP) and 11 (SB) outcomes. In adults with CP, pain [56.4% (95%CI 48.8-63.8)], deformities [44.2% (95%CI 12.9-78.4)], intellectual disability [37.2% (95%CI 26.7-48.3)], and fatigue [36.9% (95%CI 24.6-50.1)] were most prevalent; renal disease [3.0% (95%CI 2.1-4.2)] and stroke/rheumatic diseases {4.8% (95%CI 3.4-6.5; 4.8% (95%CI 1.5-9.9)] respectively} were least prevalent. For adults with SB, bladder incontinence [60.0% (95%CI 50.5-69.2)], bowel incontinence [49.2% (95%CI 34.5-64.0)], pain [44.1% (95%CI 27.4-61.5)], and sleeping problems [30.3% (95%CI 4.7-65.8)] were most prevalent; diabetes [4.8% (95%CI 2.8-7.3)] and renal disease [8.7% (95%CI 2.0-19.9)] were least prevalent. The included studies showed large heterogeneity.

Conclusions

More research is needed to study health issues in adults with MD. Adults with CP or SB deal with a variety of health issues. More attention for the mental health of these adults is needed. There also is a need for accessible and adequate screening, preventive measures and clinical follow-up.

Pain and labor outcomes: A longitudinal study of adults with cerebral palsy in Sweden

BACKGROUND

Pain is a global health concern with substantial societal costs and limits the activity participation of individuals. The prevalence of pain is estimated to be high among individuals with cerebral palsy (CP).

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the association between pain and labor outcomes for adults with CP in Sweden.

METHODS

A longitudinal cohort study based on data from Swedish population-based administrative registers of 6899 individuals (53,657 person-years) with CP aged 20-64 years. Individual fixed effects regression models were used to analyze the association between pain and labor outcomes (employment and earnings from employment), as well as potential pathways through which pain might affect employment and earnings.

RESULTS

Pain was associated with adverse outcomes varying across severity, corresponding to a reduction of 7-12% in employment and 2-8% in earnings if employed. Pain might affect employment and earnings through increased likelihood of both sickness leave and early retirement.

CONCLUSION

Pain management could potentially be important to improve labor outcomes for adults with CP, in addition to improving the quality of life.

Towards functional improvement of motor disorders associated with cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition arising from non-progressive disorders occurring in the fetal or infant brain. Cerebral palsy has long been categorised into discrete motor types based on the predominance of spasticity, dyskinesia, or ataxia. However, these motor disorders, muscle weakness, hypotonia, and impaired selective movements should also be discriminated across the range of presentations and along the lifespan. Although cerebral palsy is permanent, function changes across the lifespan, indicating the importance of interventions to improve outcomes in motor disorders associated with the condition. Mounting evidence exists for the inclusion of several interventions, including active surveillance, adapted physical activity, and nutrition, to prevent secondary and tertiary complications. Avenues for future research include the development of evidence-based recommendations, low-cost and high-quality alternatives to existing therapies to ensure universal access, standardised cerebral palsy registers to harmonise epidemiological and clinical information, improved adult screening and check-up programmes to facilitate positive lived experiences, and phase 3 trials for new interventions.

The Use and Outcomes of Motor Rehabilitation Services Among People With Cerebral Palsy Change Across the Lifespan

Background and Aims

The provision of coordinated and multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs that adapt to the individual with cerebral palsy (CP) evolving rehabilitation needs throughout the different phases of life is highly challenging for healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to report the changes in motor rehabilitation (MR) environmental factors, service use and patient outcomes between children and adults with cerebral palsy and to identify if changes took place earlier or later than the standard division between pediatric and adult healthcare systems at 18 years.

Methods

We used data from the French ESPaCe survey to select a set of indicators for MR environmental factors, service use and patient outcomes, highlighted by patients and families in previous studies. We then compared the distribution of the indicator data between children and adults, as well as between four transition age groups: children under 12, adolescents up to 17 years, young adults, and adults over 25 years of age. We estimated odds ratios adjusted for motor involvement, associated impairments and informant type.

Results

A total of 997 respondents over 2 years of age were included in this study (484 children and 513 adults). Finding an available physiotherapist was very difficult for almost half of the children, and a greater proportion of adolescents and adults. Physiotherapy was provided in a private outpatient practice for twice as many adults over 25 years as children and adolescents. The weekly amount of physical therapy decreased as outpatient practice increased. Multidisciplinary rehabilitation decreased sharply from adolescence and was halved at adulthood. Satisfaction with the MR program decreased from childhood into adolescence and adulthood. Perceived impact of physiotherapy on people with CP and their main carers were less positive in adolescents.

Conclusions

Healthcare policies should focus on accessibility issues at all ages, consider adolescents as a specific population, consider a wide transition phase (12–25 yo) and maintain a multidisciplinary approach at adulthood. There is a strong need for national rehabilitation strategies for individuals with CP.

Quality of Life in Young Adults With Cerebral Palsy: A Longitudinal Analysis of the SPARCLE Study

Introduction: While most people with cerebral palsy (CP) will have a life expectancy similar to that of the general population, international research has primarily focused on childhood and adolescence; and knowledge about the quality of life (QoL) of young adults with CP, its trajectories, and associated factors remains scarce.

Methods: This longitudinal study included young adults with CP living in five European regions and who had previously participated in the SPARCLE cohort as children and/or adolescents. Their QoL in the psychological well-being and social relationships domains was estimated using age-appropriate validated instruments (KIDSCREEN-52 in childhood/adolescence and WHOQOL-Bref in young adulthood). We used generalized linear mixed-effect models with random intercept to estimate long-term trajectories of QoL in both domains and to investigate whether severity of impairment, pain, and seizure influenced these trajectories. We sought to identify potentially different trajectories of QoL from childhood to adulthood using a shape-based clustering method.

Results: In total, 164 young adults with CP aged 22–27 years participated in the study. Psychological well-being linearly decreased by 0.78 points (scale 0–100) per year (95% confidence interval (CI) −0.99 to −0.56) from childhood to young adulthood, whereas QoL in the social relationships domain increased (β coefficient 1.24, 95% CI 0.92–1.55). Severity of impairment was associated with reduced QoL in all life periods of the study (childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood): motor impairment with social relationships, and more nuancedly intellectual disability with psychological well-being and social relationships. At all periods, frequent pain significantly reduced psychological well-being, and seizures were associated with lower QoL in the social relationships domain. In both domains, we identified a group of individuals with CP who presented a reverse trajectory compared with the general QoL trajectory.

Conclusion: Identification of QoL trajectories and their associated factors yields improved knowledge about the experience of individuals with CP until young adulthood. Further studies are needed to better understand the determinants that have the greatest influence on the different shapes of long-term trajectories of QoL.

Living Conditions and Social Outcomes in Adults With Cerebral Palsy

Objectives: To analyse the living conditions and social outcomes (housing, engagement in employment or higher education, access to personal assistance and having a partner) in adults with cerebral palsy (CP) relative to their age, sex, communication ability, and motor skills.

Methods: Cross-sectional registry-based study of 1,888 adults (1,030 males/858 females) with CP in the Swedish CP follow-up programme, median age 25 years (range 16–78 y). Type of housing, occupation, access to personal assistance and having a partner were analysed relative to their age, sex, and the classification systems for Gross Motor Function (GMFCS) and Communication Function (CFCS). Binary logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) for independent living, competitive employment, and having a partner.

Results: Most of the 25- to 29-year olds (55.6%) lived independently, increasing to 72.4% in 40- to 49-year olds, while the majority (91.3%) of those under 20 years lived with their parents. Independent living was almost equal in adults at GMFCS levels I (40.2%) and V (38.6%). This parity was explained by access to personal assistance, which increased with higher GMFCS and CFCS levels. Personal assistance of >160 hours/week was associated with a high probability of independent living (OR 57). In the age span 20–64 years, 17.5% had competitive employment and 45.2% attended activity centres for people with intellectual disabilities. In the younger age group up to 24 years old, 36.9% went to mainstream/higher education and 20.5% went to special schools. In total, 13.4% had a partner and 7.8% lived together. Slightly more women than men had a partner, and most individuals were classified at CFCS level I.

Conclusion: Only one in eight adults with CP has a partner, and one in six has competitive employment. Access to personal assistance is the single most important factor for independent living. It is vital to support adults with CP throughout their lifespan to achieve the best possible outcomes in all aspects of life.

Well-Being of Ambulatory Adults With Cerebral Palsy: Education, Employment, and Physical Function of a Cohort Who Received Specialized Pediatric Care

Introduction: The transition from pediatric health care and school systems presents enormous challenges for young adults with cerebral palsy (CP). The lack of strong societal support during this seminal life event is well-documented and leads many adults with CP to struggle with independence, higher education, and employment. Despite the relatively high prevalence of CP, information about the experiences and function of adults with CP in our society continues to be limited. The purpose of this project was to describe well-being by assessing education, employment, physical function, walking activity, and utilization of health care in an ambulatory adult cohort with CP who received specialized pediatric care at our center.

Method: In this Institutional Review Board-approved prospective study, we invited former patients from our tertiary care pediatric CP center to complete a set of patient-reported outcomes including (1) the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System domains of physical function and pain interference, (2) the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and a project-specific demographic questionnaire about education, employment, income, independence, pain, and health care utilization. Participants also wore a pedometer for 8 days to monitor community walking activity. Chi-squared pairwise or t-tests were used as appropriate to compare survey responses and walking activity data between three groups: participants who self-reported, those who reported by proxy, and published normative data from age-matched typically developing adult (TDA) samples.

Results: One hundred twenty-six adults with CP consented to participate; 85 self-reported [age 29.7 ± 4.3 years; Gross Motor Function Classification System: I (28%), II (47%), and III, (25%)] and 41 reported by proxy [age 29.7 ± 4.1 years; Gross Motor Function Classification System: I (10%), II (68%), and III (22%)]. For the group who self-reported, high school graduation rate (99%) was similar to TDA (92%; p = 0.0173) but bachelor's degree achievement rate (55%) was higher than TDA (37%; p < 0.001). Despite more advanced education, the unemployment rate in this group was higher than national levels at 33% and was associated with high utilization of Social Security Disability Insurance (33%). Within the self-reporting group, 13% required a caregiver. For the group who reported by proxy, educational levels (73% high school graduates, 0 bachelor's degree) were lower than the general population (p < 0.001) and unemployment was higher than the national level, at 64%. Unemployment in this group was associated with high utilization of Social Security Disability Insurance (85%). Within the proxy-reporting group, 71% required a caregiver. The full cohort demonstrated lower levels of physical function according to the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System and less community walking activity compared with TDA references (p < 0.001). This cohort of adults with CP reported significantly higher frequency of chronic pain (48 vs. 12% for TDA; p < 0.001), but less pain interference with daily activities than TDA based on Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System results (p < 0.001). This cohort reported good to excellent overall health (93%) and high utilization of primary care (98%), but limited utilization of specialty care, specifically orthopedic care (21%) and physical therapy (15%).

Discussion: This cohort of adults with CP had similar levels of education as the general population, but had relatively high rates of unemployment, caretaker need, and Social Security Disability Insurance utilization. Although chronic pain was frequent, the impact of pain on work and independent living did not exceed reports from a typically developing reference. Better targeted societal resources for adults with physical disabilities are urgently needed to allow equitable access to employment, promote opportunities for independence, and enable full participation in community life.

Determinants of participation and quality of life of young adults with cerebral palsy: longitudinal approach and comparison with the general population - SPARCLE 3 study protocol

Background

Effective inclusion in society for young people with disabilities is increasingly seen as generating opportunities for self-development, and improving well-being. However, significant barriers remain in the vast majority of activities meaningful for young adults. Research argues that various personal (disabilities, health) and environmental (access to the resources needed, accessible environment, discrimination, lack of personal economic independence) factors contribute to limited participation. However, previous studies conducted in young people with cerebral palsy (CP) mainly investigated the transition period to adulthood, and did not fully consider the whole range of impairment severity profiles or environmental barriers. In this study, we will use the follow-up of the SPARCLE cohort and a comparison group from the general population (1) to investigate the impact of the environment on participation and quality of life of young adults with CP, (2) to determine predictors of a successful young adulthood in educational, professional, health and social fields, (3) to compare quality of life and frequency of participation in social, work and recreational activities with the general population, (4) to document on participation and quality of life in those with severe disabilities.

Methods

The SPARCLE3 study has a combined longitudinal and cross-sectional design. Young adults with CP aged 22 to 27 years in 6 European regions previously enrolled in the SPARCLE cohort or newly recruited will be invited to self-complete a comprehensive set of questionnaires exploring participation (daily life and discretionary activities), health-related quality of life, body function, personal factors (health, personal resources), and contextual factors (availability of needed environmental items, family environment, services provision) during home visits supervised by trained researchers. Proxy-reports or adapted questionnaires will be used for those with the most severe impairments. The recruitment of a large group from the general population (online survey) will enable to identify life areas where the discrepancies between young people with CP and their able-bodied peers are the most significant.

Discussion

This study will help identify to what extent disabilities and barriers in environment negatively affect participation and quality of life, and how previous valued experiences during childhood or adolescence might modulate these effects.

New Ethical Issues in Cerebral Palsy

Current societal and technological changes have added to the ethical issues faced by people with cerebral palsy. These include new representations of disability, and the current International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health, changes in legislation and international conventions, as well as applications of possibilities offered by robotics, brain–computer interface devices, muscles and brain stimulation techniques, wearable sensors, artificial intelligence, genetics, and more for diagnostic, therapeutic, or other purposes. These developments have changed the way we approach diagnosis, set goals for intervention, and create new opportunities. This review examines those influences on clinical practice from an ethical perspective and highlights how a principled approach to clinical bioethics can help the clinician to address ethical dilemmas that occur in practice. It also points to implications of those changes on research priorities.

Patient Perspectives on the Therapeutic Profile of Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A in Spasticity

Background: Botulinum toxin-A (BoNT-A) injections are first-line treatment for adult spasticity. Prior patient surveys have reported that BoNT-A treatment improves quality of life but that symptoms usually recur before the next injection. We aimed to explore, in-depth, patient perceptions of the impact of spasticity and the waning of BoNT-A therapeutic effects. Methods: An internet-based survey was conducted through Carenity, an online patient community, from May to September 2019 in France, Germany, Italy, UK and USA. Eligible respondents were adult patients with spasticity due to stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) or spinal cord injury (SCI) who had ≥2 previous BoNT-A injections. Results: Two hundred and ten respondents (mean 47.2 years) met screening criteria and had their responses analyzed. Overall, 43% of respondents had spasticity due to stroke, 30% due to TBI and 27% due to SCI. The mean [95% CI] injection frequency for spasticity management was 3.6 [3.4-3.7] injections/year. Respondents described the time profile of their response to BoNT-A. The mean reported onset of therapeutic effect was 12.9 [12.1-13.7] days and the mean time to peak effect was 5.0 [4.7-5.4] weeks. Symptom re-emergence between injections was common (83%); the time from injection to symptom re-emergence was 89.4 [86.3-92.4] days. Muscle spasms usually re-emerge first (64%), followed by muscle stiffness or rigidity (40%), and limb pain (20%). Over half (52%) of respondents said they had lost their self-confidence, 46% experienced depression and 41% experienced a lack of sleep due to their spasticity symptoms in the past 12 months. Following a report of symptom re-emergence, the most common management approaches were to add adjunctive treatments (36%), increase the BoNT-A dose (28%), and wait for the next injection (26%). Seventy two percentage of respondents said they would like a longer lasting BoNT-A treatment. Conclusions: Patients with spasticity can expect a characteristic profile of BoNT-A effects, namely time lag to onset and peak effect followed by a gradual decline in the symptomatic benefits. Symptom re-emergence is common and has significant impact on quality of life. Greater patient/clinician awareness of this therapeutic profile should lead to better level of overall satisfaction with treatment, informed therapeutic discussions and treatment schedule planning.

Epidemiology of Cerebral Palsy in Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Most Frequently Studied Outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To describe the epidemiology of health status, impairments, activities and participation in adults with cerebral palsy (CP).

DATA SOURCES

Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, Cochrane, and Google Scholar were searched for 3 themes ("cerebral palsy," "adult," and "outcome assessment") in literature published between January 2000 and December 2018.

STUDY SELECTION

Full-article peer-reviewed English journal articles on descriptive, observational, or experimental studies describing the most studied outcomes in adults with CP (n≥25, age≥18y) were included. Studies were included in the analyses if frequently studied outcomes were described in at least 3 studies using similar methods of assessment.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data were extracted independently by 2 authors from 65 articles (total N=28,429) using a standardized score sheet.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Meta-analyses revealed that overall, on average 65.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55.1-74.5) of adults with CP experienced pain, 57.9% (95% CI, 51.1-64.6) were ambulant, 65.5% (95% CI, 61.2-69.7) had little or no limitation in manual ability, 18.2% (95% CI, 10.6-27.2) had tertiary education, 39.2% (95% CI, 31.5;47.1) were employed, and 29.3% (95% CI, 9.0-55.3) lived independently. In adults without intellectual disability, proportions of individuals who were ambulant (72.6% [95% CI, 58.8-84.5]) and lived independently (90.0% [95% CI, 83.8-94.9]) were higher (P=.014 and P<.01, respectively). The Fatigue Severity Scale score was 4.1 (95% CI, 3.8-4.4). Epilepsy (28.8% [95% CI, 20.1-38.4]) and asthma (28.3% [95% CI, 18.7-38.9]) were especially prevalent comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

The present systematic review and meta-analysis on the epidemiology of adults with CP provided state-of-the-art knowledge on the most frequently studied outcomes. On average, adults with CP are fatigued, and a majority experience pain, are ambulant, and have little or no difficulty with manual ability. On average, 40% are employed and 30% live independently. More uniformity in assessment and reports is advised to improve knowledge on epidemiology and gain insight in more outcomes.

Daily activities, participation, satisfaction, and functional mobility of adults with cerebral palsy more than 25 years after selective dorsal rhizotomy: a long-term follow-up during adulthood

PURPOSE

To determine changes in level of accomplishment and satisfaction in daily activities and social participation, and functional mobility in adults with cerebral palsy (CP) more than 25 years after selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This long-term observational nine-year follow-up study included 26 adults (median age 35 years) with CP and spastic diplegia, and 26 matched typically developing adults. Assessment tools used were the Life-Habits questionnaire and the Functional Mobility Scale.

RESULTS

Most of the adults with CP were independent and satisfied with accomplishing life habits and no changes were determined, except for a small change in the Housing accomplishment level. Compared to typically developing adults, the CP cohort was more dependent in accomplishing Mobility and Recreation. However, the level of satisfaction was similar for most life habits except for Mobility. Functional mobility did not change, but correlated with Life-Habits results.

CONCLUSIONS

Adults with CP showed high and stable levels of accomplishment and satisfaction in daily activities and social participation more than 25 years after SDR. This is in contrast with the literature, where functional decline was shown for individuals with CP as they age. The relation with functional mobility highlights the importance to focus the rehabilitation on maintaining walking ability in order to enable high level of daily activities and social participation in adults with CP.Implications for rehabilitationSelective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a valuable treatment option for a selective group of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in order to reduce spasticity.The long-term outcomes of SDR on level of accomplishment and satisfaction in daily activities and social participation as well functional mobility in adults with CP are not clear.More than 25 years after SDR adults with CP experienced stable and lasting high levels of functioning regarding daily activities and social participation and were satisfied with the way they accomplished life habits.Functional mobility was correlated to level of accomplishment and satisfaction in daily activities and social participation, which highlights the importance to focus rehabilitation programs on maintaining functional mobility in order to enable daily activities and social participation in adults with CP.

Beyond stereotypes of cerebral palsy: Exploring the lived experiences of young Canadians

BACKGROUND

Health for people with cerebral palsy (CP) must extend beyond physical impairments to include social, environmental, and psychological factors that are rarely captured by quantitative research alone. This qualitative study sought to explore the lived experience of young people with CP with their physical, mental, and emotional health in the context of a larger longitudinal Canadian study focusing on brain function, physical and mental health, and well-being.

METHODS

An integrated research team (including people with CP or other impairments, clinicians, and researchers) was formed to study participant-identified research needs. A purposive sample of 16 people with CP (seven female), aged 17-29, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-V, participated in three focus groups that were conceptualized and analysed using interpretive description methodology.

RESULTS

This study reports the experiences of people with CP across GMFCS levels and identifies some consequences of growing up with the condition: physical and mental health issues, importance of meaningful participation, impact of the environment, and identity formation. Participants shared challenges related to accessibility, healthcare, social/environmental supports, relationships, and sustainable employment.

DISCUSSION

Body structure and function challenges impact participation in activities of daily living, threatening participants' ability to form positive identities and live meaningful lives. People with CP desire to work but may require additional training, accommodation, and support to do so. Environmental conditions, including relationships, supportive people, and accessibility, shape participants' health, well-being, and social/civic engagement. This study confirms the need for improved care for adults with CP, including multidisciplinary adult health team(s) and community services.

Randomised controlled trial of a novel online cognitive rehabilitation programme for children with cerebral palsy: a study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disability in children, with an estimated 600-700 infants born with CP in Australia each year. CP is typically associated with motor impairments, but nearly half of all children with CP also experience cognitive impairment, potentially impacting educational and vocational achievement. This paper reports the protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a computerised cognitive training intervention based on behavioural principles: Strengthening Mental Abilities through Relational Training (SMART). The study aims to investigate SMART's effect on fluid reasoning, executive function and academic achievement in children with CP.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Sixty children with mild to moderate CP (Gross Motor Function Classification Scale I-IV) aged between 8 years and 12 years will be recruited. Participants will be randomly allocated to two groups: SMART cognitive training and waitlist control. Families will access the programme at home over a 4-month period. Assessments will be administered at baseline, 20 weeks and at 40 week follow-up for retention. The primary outcome will be fluid intelligence, while academic achievement, executive function and social and emotional well-being will be secondary outcomes.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has approval from the Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service Research Ethics Committee (HREC/14/QRCH/377) and The University of Queensland (2017001806). If the computerised cognitive training programme is found to be effective, dissemination of these findings would assist children with CP by providing an accessible, cost-effective intervention that can be completed at home at the individual's own pace.

REGISTRATION DETAILS

The study was registered prospectively on 10 November 2017 to present. Recruitment is now under way, and we aim to complete recruitment by June 2019, with data collection finalised by March 2020.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ACTRN12617001550392; Pre-results.

Novel approaches to measuring community integration in adults with cerebral palsy

Purpose: Rehabilitation goals often focus on increasing community integration for adults with disabilities and are measured by objective assessments. Research methods have lagged behind in capturing current conceptualizations of community integration as a multidimensional construct that incorporates participation, social supports, and feelings of belonging in the community. This paper addresses this challenge by describing a multi-method approach to assessing community integration for adults with cerebral palsy.Methods: Measures include standardized questionnaires, qualitative methods, measures of function and physical activity, and geospatial measures using Geographic Information System mapping and Global Positioning System tracking. These objective and subjective data are used to determine where adults spend time and are most active, and which activities and social connections are associated with feeling integrated into the community.Results: Two case examples highlight the importance of using a multi-method approach to assess community integration for adults with cerebral palsy. Results of objective clinical measures were comparable among case examples; however, actual experiences of feeling connected to the community were vastly different.Conclusions: Multiple measures are required to capture the complexity of community integration. Relying solely on objective measures may not provide a complete picture of community integration.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONCommunity integration is a complex construct that incorporates participation, socialization, and feelings of belonging in the community.New methods and measures are needed to assess the many aspects of community integration in adults with disabilities.A multi-method approach is recommended to provide a richer characterization of community integration in individuals with disabilities.A combination of quantitative and qualitative measures addressing the physical, social and psychological aspects of community integration should be used.

Promoting capacities for future adult roles and healthy living using a lifecourse health development approach

Purposes: First, to describe how young adults with cerebral palsy (CP) experience lifecourse health development, and second, to create key messages for pediatric health service providers to promote children's capacities for future adult roles and healthy adult living.Methods: Interpretive description qualitative design. Participants were a purposive sample of 23 young adults with CP, 25-33 years of age, who varied in functional abilities, education, living, and work situations. Three experienced interviewers conducted 50-60 min interviews. Transcripts were analyzed to identify themes. Subsequently, a one-day meeting was held with an advisory group to inform our interpretive description of key messages.Results: Four themes emerged from the interviews: personal lifecourse, contexts for healthy living, health development through everyday experiences, and healthy living as an adaptive process. Key messages for service providers are: (a) address healthy living across the lifecourse, (b) focus on contexts of healthy living, (c) focus on everyday experiences and experiential learning, and (d) pay attention to the timing of opportunities and experiences.Conclusion: The findings provide first steps toward adoption of an approach to lifecourse health development for individuals with CP that emphasizes physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing and goals for desired social participation over the lifecourse.Implications for rehabilitationYoung adults with cerebral palsy experience lifecourse health development as a personal ongoing and dynamic process occurring in many contexts.Individuals with cerebral palsy continually adjust to changing contexts (adaptive process).Everyday experiences and experiential learning enable individuals with cerebral palsy to develop capacities for current and future healthy living including social participation."Timing" of opportunities and experiences is important for health development.

Setting a patient-centered research agenda for cerebral palsy: a participatory action research initiative

AIM

To establish a patient-centered research agenda for cerebral palsy (CP).

METHOD

We engaged a large cross-section of the extended community of people living with CP and those providing healthcare to people with CP ('the community') in an educational series and collaborative survey platform to establish an initial list of prioritized research ideas. After online workshops, a facilitated Delphi process was used to select the 20 highest priorities. Select participants attended an in-person workshop to provide comment and work toward consensus of research priorities.

RESULTS

A research agenda for CP was developed by the community, which included consumers, clinicians, and researchers interested in advancing the established research agenda. The results included the top 16 research concepts produced by the process to shape and steward the research agenda, and an engaged cross-section of the community.

INTERPRETATION

It has been shown that proactively engaging consumers with clinical researchers may provide more meaningful research for the community. This study suggests that future research should have more focus on interventions and outcomes across the lifespan with increased emphasis on the following outcome measures: function, quality of life, and participation.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

A patient-centered research agenda for cerebral palsy was established. Comparative effectiveness of interventions, physical activity, and understanding ageing were leading themes. Longitudinal studies across the lifespan, clinical spectrum, and ages were highly ranked. Participants reported high value for participation outcomes. Participants reported great appreciation for the engagement between consumers and clinician researchers.

"If I had been given that information back then": An interpretive description exploring the information needs of adults with cerebral palsy looking back on their transition to adulthood

BACKGROUND

Young people with cerebral palsy (CP) and their families have identified lack of information received during the transition to adulthood as a barrier to successful outcomes. To date, few studies have explored the information needs, preferences, timing, and method of provision from the perspective of individuals with CP.

METHOD

The methodological approach to this qualitative study was interpretive description. Nine adults living with CP, between the ages of 20 and 40, were purposively recruited in Ontario, Canada, to explore, retrospectively, their information needs during the transition to adulthood. Participants completed a 1-hour interview that explored their experiences seeking and receiving information. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and data were analysed to create a thematic description of adults' experiences with information.

RESULTS

Three themes emerged: (a) "Recognizing and supporting information needs," which highlighted the importance of support systems to assist young people in receiving and seeking information throughout the transition; (b) "Getting creative," which highlighted strategies young people use when confronted with environmental barriers when seeking information; and (c) "Gaps and advice for the future," which highlighted the need for real-life opportunities, during the transition to adulthood, to experience some of the responsibilities of adult life.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians assisting young people with CP need purposefully to foster knowledge and skills during the transition to adulthood. They should be not only providers of information but also enablers of opportunities for immersion in real-life experiences to prepare for adult life. It is important for young people to have the opportunity to discuss challenges and exchange information with their peers.

Information needs of young people with cerebral palsy and their families during the transition to adulthood: a scoping review

The transition to adulthood is a developmental phase which occurs as young people move from adolescence into adulthood. Young people with disabilities, including cerebral palsy (CP), and their families have reported challenges during the transition to adulthood because they are required to move to adult supports and services, which are often fragmented and bring about new questions and expectations to find necessary supports. Young people and their parents have been found to lack information about where to find services in adulthood, how to access the services and what to ask during the transitional process. The aim of this scoping review was to explore the information needs of young people with CP and their families during the transition to adulthood. The goal is to map the current published evidence within the transition to adulthood literature base to explore what is known about information needs during the transition to adulthood of young people with CP and their parents. This review seeks to synthesize what is known about information content, timing, methods of provision and delivery. Databases searched were OVID Medline, CINAL, ERIC, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Social Science Abstracts and Sociological Abstracts. Initially 675 articles were retrieved. Four hundred and forty-two articles were selected for title review. Two hundred and five articles remained for abstract review. Seventeen articles were included for full-text review. Eleven articles were included in this review. Data were organized into five themes: (1) identified information needs during the transition to adulthood (content), (2) identified recommended providers of information during the transition to adulthood (who), (3) identified delivery methods of information during the transition to adulthood (how), (4) identified timing of information delivery of information during the transition to adulthood (when) and (5) location of information provided during the transition to adulthood (where). This review found that young people with CP, their families and adult providers all possess information needs during the transition to adulthood. Young people with CP and their families seek information about what adult services will look like and how to access supports. Adult providers require information about CP. Youth with CP prefer individualized information be delivered to them when needed rather than presented in group sessions or via paper handout. Other recommendations included the development of parent support networks to assist parents in the transition to adulthood. The opportunity to learn from real-life experiences was also viewed as an important source of information as well as method to provide information.

The use of the Rotterdam Transition Profile: 10 years in review

The aim of this literature review was to describe the use and utility of the Rotterdam Transition Profile (RTP), as we near the tenth year since its publication in 2008. It is a tool to summarize a youth’s transition process to adulthood by classifying various domains of participation and health care into developmental stages. This review provided a comprehensive synthesis of available knowledge on the RTP by summarizing published and grey literature. Using search terms related to transition, social participation, and questionnaire, a systematic search was conducted for literature up to November 2017 in MEDLINE and Embase databases, and was supplemented with a hand-search using Google Scholar and a general internet search using Google Search. Inclusion criteria were specified to determine the papers selected for review, yielding fifty-five materials for detailed review. Combined analysis of published and grey literature identified nine papers that used some form of the RTP as a measure, 18 materials that cited the RTP or its domains but did not employ it as a measure, and twenty-eight materials that cited the original RTP development and validation paper for information not directly related to the RTP. The literature demonstrated that the RTP seems to be a useful tool to describe and monitor the transition process of adolescents and young adults, in both research and clinical settings. While it has been used with youth of 14–31 years of age across genders and health conditions, more evidence is needed to demonstrate its psychometric properties beyond construct validity in young adults with cerebral palsy.