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. 2007 Feb;2(3):e171-87.

Wait times for paediatric rehabilitation

Lisa Grilli  1 , Debbie Ehrmann Feldman, Bonnie Swaine, Julie Gosselin, François Champagne, Raynald Pineault
Affiliations

Wait times for paediatric rehabilitation

Lisa Grilli et al. Healthc Policy. 2007 Feb.

Abstract
in English, French

Background: Early therapy intervention for children with disabilities may improve functional outcomes. Access to paediatric rehabilitation services can sometimes be difficult.

Objectives: To describe waiting time to receive physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) services at rehabilitation centres for young children with physical disabilities; to examine factors associated with these waiting times.

Design: Prospective cohort.

Subjects: Two hundred and six children with physical disabilities, aged 6 to 72 months, referred in 2002-2004 from the Montreal Children's Hospital and Sainte-Justine Hospital to paediatric rehabilitation centres.

Measures: Data on date of referral, age, gender and diagnosis were obtained from the hospital databases. Data on date of first PT or OT appointments at the rehabilitation centre, family socio-demographics and disability severity (WeeFIM) were obtained during parental interviews.

Results: Half of the sample waited more than 7 and 11 months for PT and OT services, respectively. Shorter waiting time was significantly associated with younger child's age and referral to one particular rehabilitation centre.

Conclusion: Children with physical disabilities experience long waiting times for PT and OT rehabilitation services. Strategies to improve timely service delivery are needed.

Contexte :: Une intervention thérapeutique précoce chez les enfants atteints de handicaps pourrait améliorer les résultats fonctionnels. L’accès à des services de réadaptation pédiatrique peut parfois s’avérer difficile.

Objectifs :: Décrire les temps d’attente pour recevoir des traitements de physiothérapie et d’ergothérapie dans des centres de réadaptation pour les jeunes enfants handicapés; examiner les facteurs associés à ces temps d’attente.

Conception :: Cohorte prospective.

Sujets :: Deux cent six enfants âgés de 6 à 72 mois et atteints de handicaps physiques, aiguillés par l’Hôpital de Montréal pour enfants et l’Hôpital Sainte-Justine vers des centres de réadaptation pédiatriques entre 2002 et 2004.

Mesures :: Les données sur la date de la recommandation, l’âge, le sexe et le diagnostic ont été obtenues à partir des bases de données des hôpitaux. Les données sur la date du premier traitement de physiothérapie ou d’ergothérapie au centre de réadaptation, la composition sociodémographique de la famille et la gravité du handicap (WeeFIM) ont été obtenues dans le cadre d’entrevues avec les parents.

Résultats :: La moitié de la cohorte a attendu plus de sept et onze mois pour obtenir des traitements de physiothérapie et d’ergothérapie respectivement. Les temps d’attente moins longs étaient associés de manière significative à des enfants plus jeunes et à un aiguillage vers un centre de réadaptation particulier.

Conclusion :: Les enfants atteints de handicaps physiques doivent attendre plus longtemps pour obtenir des services de physiothérapie et d’ergothérapie. Des stratégies visant à améliorer la prestation des services en temps opportun doivent être élaborées.

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Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.
Diagnosis (GDD, non-GDD) by age group (n=206)
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2.
WeeFIM severity by age group (n=206)
FIGURE 3.
FIGURE 3.
Survival analysis for first PT and OT appointment at the rehabilitation centre (in months)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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