Health related quality of life of children with cerebral palsy among 3-12 years old

Abstract

Purpose: Identify the quality of life of mother of children with cerebral palsy. Objectives: To determine the health related quality of life of children with cerebral palsy. To find out the level of physical independence, mobility, clinical burden, social burden, social integration and manage schooling. Methodology: This study was conducted using cross sectional prospective survey under a quantitative study design with 100 participants of cerebral palsy children among 3-12 years old. A structured Life Assessment Questionnaire (LAQ) and demographic information chart was using as a data collection instrument. LAQ-CP questionnaire evaluates the impact of disability in children with CP and their families. It has 46items, organized into six dimensions: physical independence, mobility, clinical burden, schooling, economic burden, and social integration. Based on scores in each item, dimensional scores and a final standard score, known as Lifestyle Assessment Score (LAS) is obtained. These are expressed as a percentage score. The classification of the HRQOL according to LAS is as follows: Good (<30%); mildly-affected (30-50%); moderately-affected (5170%); and severely-affected (>70%). Results: Data was analyzed with the software named Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 20. Microsoft office Excel 2010 was used to decorating the bar graph and pie charts. The result of this study was consisted of quantitative data. By this study a lot of information was collected. The mean age of the respondents was 7.8 years with a standard deviation of 2.93. Majority of the respondents (52%) were 8 to 12 years old followed by 3 to 7 years old (48%). According to analysis the mean score of mobility is 2.37.That means highest number of 2.37 children affected in mobility. For those activities maximum children have need maximum to minimum assistance. The mean score of schooling is 2.15. That means 2.15 children affected in schooling. Analysis shows that the mean score of physical independence is 1.84. That means 1.84 children moderately affected in physical independence. The mean score of social integration 1.78 means 1.78 children are affected in social integration. Mean score of economic burden 1.46 means 1.46 children are affected in economic burden. The mean score 1.34 of clinical burden means 1.34 children affected in clinical burden. Keywords: Cerebral Palsy, Quality of life, LAQ. Abstract