Investigating and interpreting the use, costs, accessibility and organisation of healthcare services among children with cerebral palsy

Project Details

This project used a population-based cerebral palsy register to investigate the use of various medical services, specifically hospital inpatient, outpatient and emergency department services, among birth cohorts of children and young people with cerebral palsy. It aslo sought to find out more about how families of children with cerebral palsy cope financially in light of their child’s additional medical care needs. Multiple different methods, including surveys and data linkage, were used. It is hoped that an improved understanding of the patterns of medical service use in this group will inform efforts to deliver services more efficiently. Research in this area is ongoing, with plans to explore alternative models of healthcare delivery for those children with the greatest healthcare needs.

Researchers

  • Dr Kylie Crompton
  • Ms Tessa Devries
  • Ms Angela Guzys
  • Dr Adrienne Harvey
  • Ms Alex Holland
  • Ms Elaine Meehan
  • Ms Clare McKinnon
  • Ms Linda McNamara
  • Dr Carmen Pace
  • Dr Sue Reid
  • Dr Kirsty Stewart
  • Ms Rachel Toovey
  • Dr Kate Willoughby
  • A/Professor Adam Scheinberg
  • Ms Christine Westbury

Collaborators

  • Australian Catholic University
  • CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research
  • Cerebral Palsy Alliance
  • Deakin University
  • La Trobe University
  • Monash Health
  • University of Sydney
  • University of Western Australia
  • Yooralla

Funding

  • Cerebral Palsy Alliance
  • Ian Potter Foundation
  • Murdoch Children's Research Institute
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • The Lorenzo and Pamela Galli Charitable Trust
  • The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation
  • Victorian Medical Insurance Agency

Research Outcomes

  • Meehan E, Reid SM, Williams K, Freed GL, Sewell JR, Vidmar S, Donath S, Reddihough DS. Hospital admissions in children with cerebral palsy: a data linkage study. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. Accepted October 2016.
  • Meehan E, Reid SM, Williams K, Freed GL, Babl FE, Sewell JR, Rawicki B, Reddihough DS.  Tertiary paediatric emergency department use in children and young people with cerebral palsy. J Paediatr Child Health. 2015;51(10): 994-1000.
  • Meehan E, Harvey A, Reid S, Reddihough DS, Williams K, Crompton K, Omar S, Scheinberg A. Therapy service use in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: an Australian perspective. J Paediatr Child Health. 2016;52:308-14.
  • Meehan E, Freed GL, Reid SM, Williams K, Sewell JR, Rawicki B, Reddihough DS. Tertiary paediatric hospital admissions in children and young people with cerebral palsy. Child Care Health Dev. 2015:41(6);928-937.
  • Meehan E, Reid SM, Williams K, Freed GL, Sewell J. Reddihough DS.  Medical service use in children with cerebral palsy: the role of child and family characteristics. J Paediatr Child Health.  2016;52(6):621-627.

Research Group

Cerebral Palsy Research



Faculty Research Themes

Child Health



Key Contact

For further information about this research, please contact the research group leader.

Department / Centre

Paediatrics

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