Describing Healthcare Concerns of Young People and Adults with Cerebral Palsy
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify healthcare concerns of young people and adults with cerebral palsy (CP) in the Transitional and Lifelong Care (TLC) program, and determine whether there were patient factors associated with the number of healthcare concerns. A retrospective chart review of initial TLC consultations was completed (n = 241). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to explore and explain patterns in the sample population. The participants reported a high number of concerns of varied nature that were not easily predicted by condition-specific or demographic variables. This study may better healthcare delivery for young people and adults with CP by raising awareness of the health needs of this population, and potentially leading to the creation of intervention and monitoring guidelines.Furthermore, this research has strong potential to influence priority setting in the development of adult-based clinical programs and contribute to best practices for effective transitional care.