EACH: Exploring the lived experience of Adults with Cerebral Palsy and use of Health services
This project examined health service use among adults with cerebral palsy.
What we did
We completed four studies.
Study 1
We reviewed current evidence to determine how many adults with CP used different health services and how often they used each service. We also explored the experience of health services for adults with CP.
Study 2
We described health service use and unmet needs relating to health services among adults with CP in Ireland using the HRB's National Physical and Sensory Disability Database.
Study 3
We described how and why adults with CP living in the UK and Ireland accessed and used physiotherapy services. We also described satisfaction with physiotherapy.
Study 4
We interviewed adults with CP, people who support them, and health professionals to explore their perspectives on health services for adults with CP in Ireland.
Our findings
- Report: Health service use among adults with cerebral palsy: a mixed-methods systematic review
- Video: Health service use among adults with cerebral palsy: a mixed-methods systematic review
- Summary: Health service use among adults with cerebral palsy: a mixed-methods systematic review
- Research brief: Health service use among adults with cerebral palsy: a mixed-methods systematic review
- Report: Use of health services and unmet needs among adults with cerebral palsy in Ireland
- Video: Use of health services and unmet needs among adults with cerebral palsy in Ireland
- Research brief: Use of health services and unmet needs among adults with cerebral palsy in Ireland
- Report: Access, use and satisfaction with physiotherapy services among adults with cerebral palsy living in the United Kingdom and Ireland
- Video: Access, use and satisfaction with physiotherapy services among adults with cerebral palsy living in the United Kingdom and Ireland
- Conference poster: Health service use among adults with cerebral palsy in Ireland
- Conference poster: Health service use among adults with cerebral palsy: a mixed method systematic review
- Report: Public and Patient Involvement in Doctoral Research During the COVID-19 Pandemic: reflections on the process, challenges, impact and experiences from the perspectives of adults with cerebral palsy and the doctoral researcher
The team
This research was completed by Dr Manjula Manikandan for her PhD, supervised by Dr Jennifer Ryan, Dr Aisling Walsh and Dr Claire Kerr from RCSI and Queen’s University Belfast.
Collaborators included Michael Walsh from the HSE, Dr Grace Lavelle from King’s College London, Dr Jennifer Fortune from RCSI, Dr Anne Doyle and Dr Claire Casey from the Health Research Board, Dr Elizabeth Cassidy, and Dr Gemma Cook and Dr Cherry Kilbride from Brunel University London.
The project was funded by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) through the StAR programme. The PhD was completed as part of the structured PhD in Population Health and Health Services Research (SPHeRE) programme, which is funded by the Health Research Board.