[Characteristics of patients of the Cerebral Palsy Association]

Abstract

Introduction: As the life expectancy has increased in individuals with cerebral palsy, this has led to being able to assess the changes in the bio-psycho-social dimensions of their health.

Objective: The aim of the study is to describe the characteristics of individuals with cerebral palsy and to evaluate their functional situation.

Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study conducted on a sample of 26 individuals between 27 and 65 years old with cerebral palsy. Data was collected during a semi-structured interview. The Cross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), and the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS), were used to evaluate the functional situation.

Results: The profile of the adult seen in the Cerebral Palsy Association of Burgos, Spain, is male, over 40 years old, single, illiterate, with no professional qualification, lives in a residence, receives social benefit, and with great functional disability.

Conclusions: The functional capacity of people with cerebral palsy who are in adult care centres is low. It emphasises the low cultural level and the lack of professional qualification and all of them have a disability that limits their ability to perform daily activities, possibly related to the high mean age.

Keywords: Años ajustados por calidad de vida; Cerebral palsy; Developmental disabilities; Discapacidades del desarrollo; Parálisis cerebral; Quality adjusted life year; Supervivencia; Survival.