Assessment of quality of life in patients with cerebral palsy

Introduction
The quality of life improvement in children with cerebral palsy has become one of the main goals of therapeutic intervention, in parallel with the relief of disease symptoms. Unfortunately, the number of Polish publications on the quality of life of this group is relatively small compared to other countries.

Aim of the study
The aim of this paper was the assessment of the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy.

Material and methods
The study group included 128 persons with cerebral palsy aged two to 18 years. The study was of prospective nature and was carried out using the diagnostic survey method with the use of two standardised tools: PedsQL 3.0 Cerebral Palsy Module and CP QOL-Child Questionnaire. All calculations and figures were made using Microsoft Excel and Statistica 10.0 software.

Results
The least frequently reported problems on the PedsQL 3.0 scale were pain (68.02 points) and fatigue (58.40 points). The most difficult for cerebral palsy patients were everyday activities (32.31 points), and mobility and keeping balance (39.41 points). The lowest scores of all domains in the CP QOL-Child questionnaire were received by the access to health services – 56.24 points, and physical health and participation – 58.99 points. According to the surveyed patients, their highest quality of life occurs in the area of participation in social life and social acceptance – 75.71 points, and emotional state – 75.27 points

Conclusions
The results show a deficit in the quality of life of children and youths with cerebral palsy in terms of physical, social, and school life as well as in terms of problems arising from the disease entity. The therapy should be focused on appropriate adjustment of the home and school environment to the patient’s needs, as well as developing skills that enable self-care or assisting in everyday self-care and school activities.