The working group was formed in 2002 and end at 2007.
Major work and project
Prevalence study of cerebral palsy in Hong Kong Children.
Objective
To carry out a population based study to investigate the prevalence of cerebral palsy in Hong Kong for primary school age children aged 6 to 12 years, and to evaluate service utilization by those children who attend mainstream schools.
Method
A population based extensive cross sectional survey was carried out in the school year September 2003 to June 2004. Questionnaires were sent to all primary schools and special schools, special child care centers, and all outpatient physiotherapy and occupational therapy departments under Hospital Authority for study.
Result
Among 435572 school age children aged 6 to 12 years old, 578 children with cerebral palsy were identified. The overall prevalence rate was 1.3 per 1000 children. The age specific prevalence rates ranged from 1.04 to 1.5 per 1000 children. Approximately 38% of children with cerebral palsy attended a mainstream school. Among those studying in special schools, 96% attended the school for the physically handicapped or the school for the severely mentally handicapped. Among 219 children with cerebral palsy in mainstream schools, only 57 (26%) received educational support while 134 (61%) received outpatient therapy support. Only 12 % received both supporting services. 26 % of children have no educational or therapy training support at all.
Conclusion
Compared with overseas data, the low prevalence of cerebral palsy detected in local children in this investigation may be due to the difference in study design or a genuinely low prevalence. Setting up a cerebral palsy registry could help monitor the local prevalence of this childhood disability more accurately, thereby providing more reliable information for planning support services for this subgroup of children.
Time frame of the study project
| 2002-2003 | Preparation of the study |
|---|---|
| 2003-2004 | Study period |
| 2004-2005 | Data collection and analysis |
| 2005-2006 | Writing of paper (published at Hong Kong Medical Journal 2006:12:180-4) Presentation of study findings in different local academic meetings including HKCNDP Tenth Anniversary Scientific Conference and Annual Scientific Meeting on "Paediatric Rehabilitation" on 19 - 22 November 2004. |
The members included:
Winnie KL Yam, Sophelia HS Chan, KW Tsui, Beverley PHL Yiu, SL Fong, Clare YK Cheng, Biostatistician from CUHK