Disrupted Access to Therapies and Impact on Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic for Children With Motor Impairment and Their Caregivers.
Am J Phys Med Rehabil
; 100(9): 821-830, 2021 09 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1258826
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to rehabilitation therapies and the impact of changes in therapy access on the physical and mental well-being of children with motor impairment and their caregivers.DESIGN:
Caregivers of children younger than 18 yrs with childhood-onset motor impairment (primarily cerebral palsy) completed an anonymous survey through the online platform REDCap between May 5 and July 13, 2020.RESULTS:
The survey was completed by 102 participants. Before the pandemic, 92 of 102 children (90%) were receiving one or more therapies; at the time surveyed, 55 children (54%) were receiving any therapies (P < 0.001). More than 40% of the sample reported increased child stress, decreased physical activity, and/or decline in mobility/movement. Participants who reported a decrease in number of therapies at the time surveyed more frequently reported lower satisfaction with treatment delivery (P < 0.001), a decline in child's mobility (P = 0.001), and increased caregiver stress (P = 0.004). Five qualitative themes were identified from open-ended question responses related to therapies and well-being.CONCLUSIONS:
Access to pediatric rehabilitation therapies was disrupted during COVID-19. Disrupted access may be related to impact on physical and mental health. With the expansion of telehealth, caregiver and child feedback should be incorporated to optimize benefit.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Cerebral Palsy
/
Quarantine
/
COVID-19
/
Health Services Accessibility
/
Movement Disorders
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Qualitative research
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
Am J Phys Med Rehabil
Journal subject:
Physical Medicine
/
Rehabilitation
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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