Comparing impact on the family and insurance coverage in children with cerebral palsy and children with another special healthcare need

Utilization of Parallel Resources and Sociodemographic Factors in Treating Children with Complex Chronic Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Children with complex chronic conditions have a high need for health and social care resources. Many parents explore parallel resources such as alternative therapies, associations, psychological support, private medical consultations, and other out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare. The use of these alternative health resources is sometimes unclear and may lead to health inequalities. To characterize the use made of alternative healthcare resources for children with complex chronic conditions. Additionally, we evaluate the influence of sociodemographic factors on the distribution of this utilization of resources; (2) Methods: Cross-sectional study. Children with complex chronic diseases were treated at a tertiary hospital in Granada, Spain in 2016. We analyzed their use of healthcare resources and socioeconomic variables. This research complies with STROBE guidelines for observational studies; (3) Results: In total, 265 children were analyzed (mean age 7.3 years, SD 4.63). A total of 105 children (39.6%) attended private consultations with specialists, and 12.1% (n = 32) of the children had additional private health insurance. One out three parents belonged to a mutual support association (n = 78), and 26% (n = 69) of the children used alternative therapies. Furthermore, 75.4% (n = 199) of the children received no psychological support. Children whose parents had a higher educational level and occupations status made greater use of parallel healthcare resources.; (4) Conclusions: A significant proportion of children used multiple health resources in addition to the public healthcare system depending on sociodemographic determinants. Studies are needed to determine whether the use of these alternative services achieves better levels of health.

Measuring Financial Burden in Families of Children Living With Life-Limiting Conditions: A Scoping Review of Cost Indicators and Outcome Measures

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of cost indicators and outcome measures used to measure financial burden in families of children with life-limiting conditions.

METHODS

A scoping review methodology was used to map the existing literature and provide an overview of available cost indicators and outcome measures. Key medical, economic, and scientific databases were systematically searched to identify relevant articles published in 2000 or later.

RESULTS

The database search yielded 7194 records, including 30 articles eligible for final inclusion. Retrieved cost indicators and outcome measures fell into 3 broad categories: direct costs, indirect costs, and financial support. No study comprehensively assessed all 3 categories. Cost indicators used to measure direct costs were grouped into 5 medical and 11 nonmedical out-of-pocket expenses categories, of which 5 were commonly assessed (ie, treatment and diagnostics, travel and transport, accommodation, food, childcare and home help). Half of the reviewed studies included assessments of indirect costs, most commonly estimating work-related income loss by evaluating employment disruptions. Assessments of opportunity costs arising from informal caregiving and of financial support were rarely included.

CONCLUSIONS

Current estimates of the financial burden faced by families of children with life-limiting conditions are inconsistent and often incomplete, likely resulting in severe underestimations of the costs these families incur. We hope that the framework presented in this article will contribute to a more comprehensive assessment of illness-related financial burden and help guide future policies in this area.

Pain and Communication in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Influence on Parents' Perception of Family Impact and Healthcare Satisfaction

Cerebral palsy (CP) is an impacting chronic condition. Concomitant comorbidities such as pain and speech inability may further affect parents’ perception of the pathology impact in the family quality of life and the provided care. The objective of this cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was to compare parental reports on family impact and healthcare satisfaction in children with CP with and without chronic pain and with and without speech ability. Parents of 59 children with CP (age range = 4–18 years) completed several questions about pain and speech ability and two modules of the Pediatric Quality of Life Measurement Model: The PedsQLTM 2.0 Family Impact Module and the PedsQLTM Healthcare Satisfaction Generic Module. Our findings revealed that children’s pain slightly impacted family physical health, social health and worry. In children without pain, speech inability increased the perceived health impact. Parents’ healthcare satisfaction was barely affected by pain or speech inability, both increasing parents’ satisfaction in the professional technical skills and inclusion of family domains on the care plan. In conclusion, pain and speech inability in children with CP can impact family health but not healthcare satisfaction. Regular assessment and intervention in family health is essential for the design of family-centred programs for children with CP.

Social Determinants of Health and Emergency and Hospital Use by Children With Chronic Disease

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between caregiver-reported social determinants of health (SDOH) and emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations by children with chronic disease.

METHODS

This was a nested retrospective cohort study (December 2015 to May 2017) of children (0-18 years) receiving Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid enrolled in a case management program. Caregiver assessments were coded for 4 SDOH: food insecurity, housing insecurity, caregiver health concerns, and safety concerns. Multivariable hurdle Poisson regression was used to assess the association between SDOH with ED and hospital use for 1 year, adjusting for age, sex, and race and ethnicity. ED use was also adjusted for medical complexity.

RESULTS

A total of 226 children were included. Patients were 9.1 years old (SD: 4.9), 60% male, and 30% Hispanic. At least 1 SDOH was reported by 59% of caregivers, including food insecurity (37%), housing insecurity (23%), caregiver health concerns (18%), and safety concerns (11%). Half of patients had an ED visit (55%) (mean: 1.5 per year [SD: 2.4]), and 20% were hospitalized (mean: 0.4 per year [SD: 1.1]). Previously unaddressed food insecurity was associated with increased ED use in the subsequent year (odds ratio: 3.43 [1.17-10.05]). Among those who had ≥1 ED visit, the annualized ED rate was higher in patients with a previously unaddressed housing insecurity (rate ratio: 1.55 [1.14-2.09]) or a safety concern (rate ratio: 2.04 [1.41-2.96]).

CONCLUSIONS

Over half of caregivers of children with chronic disease enrolled in a case management program reported an SDOH insecurity or concern. Patients with previously unaddressed food insecurity had higher ED rates but not hospitalization rates.

The nature of rehabilitation services provided to children with cerebral palsy: a population-based nationwide study

BACKGROUND

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs in childhood and requires a range of treatments over a person's lifetime. The aims of this study were to investigate the nature of the rehabilitation treatments provided to children with CP and to determine if there were any changes in patterns over time.

METHODS

From 2003 to 2013, the nature of rehabilitation treatment was analyzed for children diagnosed with CP. In addition, the medical data of rehabilitation treatments over a 10-year period (from birth to nine years of age) were analyzed for children born in 2004 diagnosed with CP. Furthermore, we analyzed whether there was a difference in the costs of medical expenditures according to family income. All studies were based on data from the Korean National Health Information Database.

RESULTS

It was found that, in recent years, rehabilitation therapy and spasticity treatment of children with CP have started being performed at a younger age than in the past. Among the children with CP born in 2004, 28.6% had physical therapy and 25.4% had occupational therapy on an inpatient basis; 81.3% had physical therapy and 62.2% had occupational therapy on an outpatient basis. Additionally, 22.2% of children received botulinum toxin injection therapy at least once. The numbers of children receiving rehabilitation therapy and botulinum toxin injection were highest at 1-5 years of age and 6-7 years of age, respectively. The expenditure on rehabilitation therapy was not affected by the economic level of the family.

CONCLUSION

This study investigated the nature of rehabilitation services provided to children with CP. More recently, the treatment of children with CP has started to be performed earlier than in the past. In addition, it was confirmed that the nature of rehabilitation treatment for children with CP changed according to age. Based on these results, services and health policies may need to be better organized to enhance the benefits to children with CP.