Access, use and satisfaction with physiotherapy services among adults with cerebral palsy living in the United Kingdom and Ireland

Abstract

Purpose

The aims of this study were to describe how and why adults with CP living in the UK and Ireland accessed and used physiotherapy services; to describe the type of physiotherapy accessed and satisfaction with physiotherapy services and to examine the associations between relevant factors.

Methods

A cross-sectional semi-structured online survey was employed. Participants were adults with CP aged 18 and above living in the UK and Ireland; able to complete an online questionnaire in English independently or with technical or physical assistance. Data were collected from April 2019 to February 2020.

Results

Participants (n = 162) were aged 18–74 years. The majority were female (75%) and lived in the UK (83%). Ninety percent of participants reported a need for physiotherapy but only 35% received physiotherapy services. The most common reason for visiting physiotherapy was mobility decline (62%). Satisfaction with the availability and quality of physiotherapy services were 21% and 27%, respectively. Adults with scoliosis and mobility decline were less likely to report that they received the physiotherapy they needed.

Conclusion

Adults with CP did not receive the physiotherapy services that they perceived they needed. There is a need to develop physiotherapy services in collaboration with people living with CP.

Implications of rehabilitation

• Adults with cerebral palsy (CP) needed physiotherapy services, but were not receiving the physiotherapy services that they perceive they needed.

• Adults were not satisfied with the availability or quality of physiotherapy services received.

• Adults with scoliosis and mobility decline were less likely to report that they received the physiotherapy they needed.

• There is a need to develop physiotherapy services from a life-span perspective for adults living with CP.

Keywords:

• Adults
• cerebral palsy
• physiotherapy services
• accessibility
• satisfaction

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the advisory group who supported the Brunel University London research team: Professor Annalu Waller, Hazel Irving, Yvonne Cheung, Chris Barber, and Charity Hall; Adult Cerebral Palsy Hub: Emma Livingstone, and Miriam Hayes; CP Adult Advice UK Co-Founder Karen Watson; and our Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) members: Ailish McGahey, Éabha Wall, Dr. Frances Hannon, Fiona Weldon, Jean Oswell, Jennifer Crumlish, Jessica Gough, Kevin Foley, and Sarah Harrington; for their contributions in designing this survey, piloting the survey, sharing the survey and identifying the factors to study for associations with physiotherapy services. They will also be involved in dissemination of the study findings. We would also like to thank Dr. Jennifer Fortune (Research Fellow at RCSI) for supporting our PPI meetings.

Ethical approval

The ethical approval was obtained from the Brunel University London’s [Ref: 11389] and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland’s [Ref: REC201910008] Research Ethics Committees.

Disclosure statement

The authors confirm that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was conducted as part of the SPHeRE Programme under Grant No. SPHeRE/2018/1. This study is funded by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) through the StAR programme.