Jahan Israt, Bashar Sk Md Kamrul, Laryea Francis, Amponsah Samuel Kofi, Danquah Frederick Inkum, Muhit Mohammad, Smithers-Sheedy Hayley, McIntyre Sarah, Badawi Nadia, Khandaker Gulam
Child Sight Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Asian Institute of Disability and Development (AIDD), University of South Asia, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Afr J Disabil. 2024 Sep 20;13:1336. doi: 10.4102/ajod.v13i0.1336. eCollection 2024.
The epidemiology of cerebral palsy (CP) is poorly described in Ghana. These data are crucial for evidence-based intervention for children with CP in the country.
We aimed to describe the epidemiology of CP among children in Ghana.
We established the first institution-based register of children with CP in Ghana (Ghana CP Register-GCPR). Children with confirmed CP aged < 18 years were registered following a detailed neurodevelopmental assessment. Socio-demographics, risk factors, predominant motor type and topography, gross motor function classification system (GMFCS), associated impairments, education and rehabilitation status were documented.
Between October 2018 and February 2020, 455 children were registered (mean [standard deviation {s.d.}] age at assessment: 5.9 [4.1] years). Preterm birth and low birthweight were reported in 52.0% and 21.1% children respectively. Most children (79.6%) had a pre- or perinatally acquired CP and the mean (s.d.) age of CP diagnosis was 22.2 (21.6) months. Overall, 55.9% of children had spastic tri- or quadriplegia, 60.5% had GMFCS level III-V and 70.3% had ≥ 1 associated impairment. However, 20.5% had never received rehabilitation services and 69.6% of school-aged children in the GCPR were not enrolled in schools.
The study findings indicate a high burden of severe motor and associated impairment among children with CP in Ghana which highlights the need for tailored interventions to improve health and well-being of children with CP in the country.
The study highlights the need for interventions to improve functional outcome, health and well-being of children with CP in Ghana.
加纳对脑瘫（CP）的流行病学情况描述甚少。这些数据对于该国针对脑瘫儿童的循证干预至关重要。
我们旨在描述加纳儿童脑瘫的流行病学情况。
我们建立了加纳首个基于机构的脑瘫儿童登记册（加纳脑瘫登记册 - GCPR）。对年龄小于18岁且确诊为脑瘫的儿童进行详细的神经发育评估后予以登记。记录社会人口统计学信息、危险因素、主要运动类型和部位、粗大运动功能分类系统（GMFCS）、相关损伤、教育及康复状况。
2018年10月至2020年2月期间，登记了455名儿童（评估时的平均[标准差{s.d.}]年龄：5.9[4.1]岁）。分别有52.0%和21.1%的儿童报告有早产和低出生体重情况。大多数儿童（79.6%）的脑瘫是在出生前或围产期获得的，脑瘫诊断的平均（标准差）年龄为22.2（21.6）个月。总体而言，55.9%的儿童患有痉挛性三肢瘫或四肢瘫，60.5%的儿童GMFCS为III - V级，70.3%的儿童有≥1种相关损伤。然而，20.5%的儿童从未接受过康复服务，GCPR中69.6%的学龄儿童未入学。
研究结果表明加纳脑瘫儿童中严重运动及相关损伤负担较高，这凸显了在该国开展针对性干预以改善脑瘫儿童健康和福祉的必要性。
该研究强调了在加纳开展干预以改善脑瘫儿童功能结局、健康和福祉的必要性。
