Damla Cankurtaran1, Nihal Tezel2, Sadik Yigit Yildiz2, Gulnur Celik2, Ece Unlu Akyuz2. 1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Health Sciences, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. damlacengizftr@gmail.com. 2. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Health Sciences, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The sudden and unexpected pandemic changed the daily routine of the children with cerebral palsy (CP) and their caregivers. AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the utilization of health and rehabilitation services and the general health and physical status of children with CP. In addition, the second aim of the study was to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregivers' quality of life (QOL) and their fear of COVID-19. METHODS: The utilization of children health and rehabilitation services during the pandemic, the general health and physical status of the children during the pandemic, and the children and caregivers' history of COVID-19 infections were questioned. Furthermore, the caregivers' level of fear of COVID-19 and their QOL were examined. RESULTS: One hundred twenty caregivers were contacted by phone, and 94 (78.33%) caregivers agreed to participate in the study. Sixty-three of 94 children (67.1%) did not attend their routine control check-up during the pandemic. Twelve children (12.8%) discontinued their physical therapy sessions during the pandemic. Caregivers physical and mental QOL significantly decreased during the pandemic (p < 0.05). The median of caregivers' Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) was 17.5 (7-35). CONCLUSION: We think that more attention should be given to telerehabilitation and telemedicine services of the clinicians who deal with the children with CP, and their caregivers in order to prevent the negative effects of future pandemic periods.
BACKGROUND: The sudden and unexpected pandemic changed the daily routine of the children with cerebral palsy (CP) and their caregivers. AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the utilization of health and rehabilitation services and the general health and physical status of children with CP. In addition, the second aim of the study was to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregivers' quality of life (QOL) and their fear of COVID-19. METHODS: The utilization of children health and rehabilitation services during the pandemic, the general health and physical status of the children during the pandemic, and the children and caregivers' history of COVID-19infections were questioned. Furthermore, the caregivers' level of fear of COVID-19 and their QOL were examined. RESULTS: One hundred twenty caregivers were contacted by phone, and 94 (78.33%) caregivers agreed to participate in the study. Sixty-three of 94 children (67.1%) did not attend their routine control check-up during the pandemic. Twelve children (12.8%) discontinued their physical therapy sessions during the pandemic. Caregivers physical and mental QOL significantly decreased during the pandemic (p < 0.05). The median of caregivers' Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) was 17.5 (7-35). CONCLUSION: We think that more attention should be given to telerehabilitation and telemedicine services of the clinicians who deal with the children with CP, and their caregivers in order to prevent the negative effects of future pandemic periods.
Authors: Andrew T Gloster; Demetris Lamnisos; Jelena Lubenko; Giovambattista Presti; Valeria Squatrito; Marios Constantinou; Christiana Nicolaou; Savvas Papacostas; Gökçen Aydın; Yuen Yu Chong; Wai Tong Chien; Ho Yu Cheng; Francisco J Ruiz; Maria B Garcia-Martin; Diana P Obando-Posada; Miguel A Segura-Vargas; Vasilis S Vasiliou; Louise McHugh; Stefan Höfer; Adriana Baban; David Dias Neto; Ana Nunes da Silva; Jean-Louis Monestès; Javier Alvarez-Galvez; Marisa Paez-Blarrina; Francisco Montesinos; Sonsoles Valdivia-Salas; Dorottya Ori; Bartosz Kleszcz; Raimo Lappalainen; Iva Ivanović; David Gosar; Frederick Dionne; Rhonda M Merwin; Angelos P Kassianos; Maria Karekla Journal: PLoS One Date: 2020-12-31 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Aniza Ismail; Ruhana Sk Abd Razak; Leny Suzana Suddin; Aidalina Mahmud; Sazlina Kamaralzaman; Ghazali Yusri Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-01-01 Impact factor: 3.390