Parent-reported health-related quality of life of children with cerebral palsy in Pakistan

Abstract

Cerebral palsy (CP) affects movement, balance, and posture, leading to activity limitations, motor disability, and musculoskeletal problems. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessment is critical in helping practitioners suggest interventions for children with CP. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the parent-reported HRQoL among children with CP in Pakistan. Using a purposive sampling technique, 184 parents were interviewed face-to-face with the KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaire to assess their children's subjective health and well-being. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, and Mann‒Whitney tests. The HRQoL scores for physical activity and health were significantly lower for male children (median = 20.00) than for females (median = 10.00) (p < 0.001), which was also the lowest across all other dimensions of HRQoL. Male children scored higher than females in some domains, such as general mood and bullying, while female children scored higher in domains such as free time and friends, but these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The overall HRQoL score was low for both male (median = 43.84) and female (median = 42.26) children. However, there was no significant difference in the proportion of children with low and medium HRQoL scores based on gender. This study concluded that physical activities and health were the poorest dimensions of HRQoL. The results help better understand children's lived experiences as perceived by their parents, highlighting various aspects of health that could be optimized to enhance the overall quality of life. Our findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve the HRQoL of children with CP, especially regarding physical activity and health.