Relationships between gross motor functions and health-related quality of life of Taiwanese children with cerebral palsy.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationships between gross motor functions and physical and psychosocial components of the health-related quality of life of children with cerebral palsy.


METHODS
Participants comprising 90 children (53 boys, 37 girls; mean age +/- SD = 8.2 +/- 2.4 yrs) with cerebral palsy were enrolled by a cross-sectional design. Gross motor function measure was used to quantify their gross motor functions. Their health-related quality of life was determined by the Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 (traditional Chinese version), completed by their caregivers.


RESULTS
A significant moderate positive correlation (r = 0.73, P < 0.01) existed between the physical summary scores of the Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 and gross motor function measure, 66 scores in Taiwanese children with cerebral palsy. There was no significant correlation between the psychosocial summary scores of Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 and gross motor function measure, 66 scores in cerebral palsy (r = -0.13, P = 0.23).


CONCLUSIONS
Gross motor functions may be good predictors of the physical component of health-related quality of life, but they are poor predictors of the psychosocial component of health-related quality of life in children with cerebral palsy. In the future, more comprehensive information regarding children's comorbidities may need to be objectively gathered to provide professionals a better understanding of their health-related quality of life.
Liu
Wen-Yu
WY
Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
Hou
Yu-Jen
YJ
Wong
Alice M K
AM
Lin
Pay-Shin
PS
Lin
Yang-Hua
YH
Chen
Chia-Ling
CL