Affiliations: [a] Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada | [b] School of Physical Therapy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Laura Brunton, 2500 University Dr. NW, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada. Fax: +1 403 955 2772; E-mail:laura.brunton@ucalgary.ca
Abstract: PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence, location, severity, and daily
impact of pain reported by youth and young adults with cerebral palsy (CP).
A secondary aim was to identify any significant associations between the
constructs of interest. METHOD: An observational study of 112 participants with CP
to understand their experience of pain through a questionnaire. Participants
were 56 males and 55 females with a mean age of 18y 9mo (SD 4y 5mo). RESULTS: Pain was reported by 75% of males and 89% of females.
Both severity and impact of pain were significantly greater in females. In
addition, severity and impact of pain were significantly different between
specific GMFCS levels. There were no significant differences in location of
pain by gender or GMFCS level. A strong positive correlation between the
severity and impact of pain was observed (rs = 0.80). CONCLUSION: The gender differences in the severity and impact of
pain and the overall and high prevalence of pain reported here provide
healthcare practitioners with an increased awareness of pain
distribution/characteristics among young adults with CP. Understanding the
impact of pain on daily life can assist practitioners to efficiently manage
pain and improve the quality of life for individuals with CP.
Keywords: Cerebral palsy, pain, prevalence, severity, impact, youth, young adult
