To determine the prevalence and associated risks of Cerebral Palsy (CP) cases managed by physiotherapists in the selected tertiary hospitals in the Accra Metropolis over a five-year period.
A quantitative retrospective study using the records of children with Cerebral Palsy from the physiotherapy departments of selected tertiary hospitals within the Accra Metropolis from January 2019 to December 2023. A data capturing form was used to record the number of Cerebral Palsy cases and also to gather relevant child and maternal data. A descriptive analysis was carried out where data obtained from the study was entered into Microsoft Excel and then into Jamovi Version 2.5. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to summarize the data obtained.
Of the 251 Cerebral Palsy cases being managed at the physiotherapy units, 120 (47.8%) were from 37 Military Hospital and 131 (52.2%) were from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. The prevalence rate of Cerebral Palsy at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) was 13.0% (131) out of a total of 1,007 pediatric cases seen at the physiotherapy unit of the hospital over the study period. At 37 Military Hospital (37MH), the prevalence rate of Cerebral Palsy was 12.6% (120) out of 954 pediatric cases managed by the physiotherapists over the five-year period. The most common type of Cerebral Palsy recorded in this study was spastic CP [138 (55.0%)], followed by dyskinetic CP [80 (31.9%)] and ataxic [33 (13.1%)]. Of the total number of cases, 96 (38.2%) were females and 155 (61.8%) were males, indicating a higher risk in males. This study also found low birth weight [139 (55.4%)], birth asphyxia [106 (90.6%)], jaundice [91 (47.2%)] and increasing maternal age (31-40years) as possible risks for Cerebral Palsy.
Cerebral Palsy was found to be the second most common pediatric condition managed by physiotherapists with spastic Cerebral Palsy being the most prevalent type. Some of the risks associated with the Cerebral Palsy cases were found to include the male gender, birth asphyxia, jaundice, low birth weight and maternal age.
Based on the results of this study, community awareness programs to sensitize mothers and health workers on the potential risks of Cerebral Palsy are needed. Knowing the prevalence reflects the burden of Cerebral Palsy and will provide policy makers the needed statistics in order to prioritize funding for Cerebral Palsy.
risks of cerebral palsy
types of cerebral palsy
