Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Cerebral Palsy

Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in the population with Cerebral palsy(CP) is found to be poor in many countries. Regional differences in HRQOL are suggested by many authors so such an assessment needs to be done in an Indian population with a wide age range. For this cross-sectional study 144 children and adolescents from 4-18 years of age were recruited. Their Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) Modified Child Mini-mental State Examination(MMSE) and socio-economic status of the parent were taken and parent-reported Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) was completed by the parents. – HRQOL was found to be below 25th percentile in children and adolescents with CP. GMFCS MACS MMSE were found to have an influence on the HRQOL whereas SES did not influence the HRQOL. we conclude that as of now the Indian children with CP have a poor quality of life. The severity of CP upper extremity function and cognition of the child affects their overall HRQOL.