Introduction: The nationwide prevalence of cerebral palsy (CP) is unknown due to the lack of a population-based registration system for CP in Taiwan. This study was the largest nationwide, population-based, cross-sectional study to estimate the prevalence of CP, prevalence rates of comorbid epilepsy in patients with CP, and association with socioeconomic status (SES) in Taiwan. The crude prevalence rate and age- and gender-specific prevalence rates were estimated.
Methods: A total of 8419 patients with CP were enrolled, and the estimated prevalence of CP was 1.76‰ in the pediatric population and 1.51‰ and 1.98‰ in girls and boys, respectively. The prevalence rate of epilepsy in patients with CP was 29.8%.
Results: The result revealed a higher prevalence of CP and epileptic CP in members of families with lower insurance premiums than those with higher insurance premiums and those from East Taiwan compared with those from other areas of Taiwan. Moreover, a higher prevalence of CP is shown in rural area than urban area.
Discussion: SES and geographic variables were significantly associated with the risk of epilepsy in children with CP. Patients with epileptic CP had a higher odds ratio of several neuropsychiatric diseases, including mental retardation, ophthalmologic problems, hearing impairment, and hydrocephalus.
Keywords: National Health Insurance; Pediatric epilepsy; Socioeconomic status.