Unmet needs and health care utilization in young adults with cerebral palsy.
OBJECTIVE
To gain insight into the unmet needs and utilization of health care of young adults with cerebral palsy (CP) and to explore relations between unmet needs, health care utilization and subject characteristics.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was performed in 29 young adults with CP without severe learning disabilities (IQ > 70). Subject characteristics such as age, gender, limb distribution, level of gross motor functioning, level of education and perceived participation and autonomy were measured. Outcome measures were the Southampton Needs Assessment Questionnaire, Impact on Participation and Autonomy and a questionnaire on health care utilization.


RESULTS
Young adults with CP reported unmet needs mostly on information (79%), mobility (66%) and health care (66%). About half of the participants visited a rehabilitation physician (52%) or a physical therapist (55%) in the past year. Participants with lower levels of gross motor functioning were found to have more unmet needs and visited various health care professionals more often than young adults with higher levels of gross motor functioning. However, participants with higher levels of gross motor functioning still reported several unmet needs.


CONCLUSIONS
Although young adults with CP frequently receive treatment from health care professionals, they indicate unmet needs with respect to several areas such as information on diagnosis, functional mobility and formal health care. In the treatment of young adults with CP, attention should be paid to these aspects.
Nieuwenhuijsen
Channah
C
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. c.nieuwenhuijsen@erasmusmc.nl
van der Laar
Yvette
Y
Donkervoort
Mireille
M
Nieuwstraten
Wilbert
W
Roebroeck
Marij E
ME
Stam
Henk J
HJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult