Health Status of Disabled Children and Youth Receiving Public Home Care Services Between 2010 and 2015 in Diyarbakir, Turkey
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to provide information on utilization of home health care services provided by government and determine health status of children and young people who received this medical care.
Methods: Data for 576 patients who were followed and recorded by the health staff of the Ministry of Health between 2010 and 2015 were used in this study. Of these patients 234 (40.63 %) were female and 342 (59.37%) were male. The patients were divided into three age groups: 0-6 years of age: 93(16.15%), 7–14 years of age:219 (38.02%), and 15–22 years of age: 264 (45.83%).
Results: There was no significant difference in gender between the age groups (χ2=1.077, p>0.05). In 2015, there was an increase in the prevalence of home care services across all age groups (χ2=38.734, p<0.01). Diyarbakir Children Hospital was more efficient than other hospitals (χ2=42.230, p<0.01) in providing this medical care. The most common diseases seen among these young patients were central nervous system diseases, neurodevelopmental diseases, and acquired brain injuries. In addition, epilepsy, SSPE, and cerebral palsy were also widely prevalent among this group of children and youth. The prevalence of cerebral palsy was larger in the 0–6 and 15–22 age groups (χ2=6.491, p<0.05). A prevalence of central nervous system diseases was seen most in the 0–6 age group (χ2=11.937, p<0.01). Apart from these, there were no other significance diseases observed by gender or age groups.
Conclusion: After favorable adjustments to public home care services, an increase was seen in the utilization of services in recent years. As disabled patients need health care in their homes, this service has to be a primary goal for governments in order to provide them with a higher quality of life.
Keywords
References
- 1. United Nations , Convention on the Rights of the Child, G.A. Res. 44/25, U.N. GAOR, 44th Sess., Supp. No. 49, U.N. Doc.A/44/49, 1989 Available from:http://www.unicef.org/crc/
- 2. World Health Organization, World Report on Disability. Geneva: WHO/World Bank, 2011, Available from: http://www.who.int disabilities/world_report/2011/en/index.html
- 3. UNICEF, Children and Young people with disabilities:Fact Sheet, 2013 Available from: http://www.unicef.org/disabilities/filesFactsheet_A5__Web_NEW.pdf
- 4. Cornelius LR, Van der Klink JJL., De Boer M, et al. High prevalence of early onset mental disorders among long-term disability laimants. Disabil Rehabil 2016;38:520-27.
- 5. Etherington N, McDougall J, DeWitD, et al. Maternal factors and the emotional and behavioural functioning of adolescents with chronic health conditions. Disabil Rehabil 2015;37:1-11 .
- 6. Maart S, Jelsma J. Disability and access to health care a community based descriptive study, Disabil Rehabil 2014;36:1489-93.
- 7. Perrin JM, Bloom SR, Gortmaker SL. The increase of childhood chronic conditions in the United States. JAMA 2007;297:2755–59.
- 8. Andrews J, Falkmer M, Girdler S. Community participation interventions for children and adolescents wit neurodevelopmental intellectual disability: a systematic review, Disabil Rehabil 2015;37:825-33.
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
-
Journal Section
Research Article
Publication Date
December 25, 2016
Submission Date
January 11, 2017
Acceptance Date
October 2, 2016
Published in Issue
Year 2016 Volume: 43 Number: 4