The Socioeconomic and Demographic Features of Children with Cerebral Palsi Applied to our Centre from Southern Eastern Anatolian Region

• Main Author: Sedat Nacitarhan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dicle University Medical School 2005-01-01
• Series: Dicle Medical Journal
• Subjects: Cerebral Palsy; Socioeconomic; Demographic; South Eastern Anatolian Region; Consanguineous Marriage
• Online Access: http://4181.indexcopernicus.com/fulltxt.php?ICID=887967

Cerebral palsy is a general term which is used to describe a group of disorders that define muscle control impairment due to lesion in the developing brain. The aim of the present study was to indicate the common features of the children with cerebral palsy and their families in South Eastern region of Turkey, the most underdeveloped community in our country. In addition, the rate of marriage between the relatives (consanguineous marriage) is higher in this region than the other regions.A total of 258 children with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy were enrolled to our study. These children were born in South Eastern Anatolian region and live here throughout their childhood. Their families were also living in this region. The members of the families were interviewed with the questionnaire to obtain information. Statistical analysis of the results was performed with Graphpad Prism Ver 3.00.68.99 percent of the patients in our study were men, and 31.01 percent were women. They were between the ages of 10-375 months, average was 75.43±59.15 months. Rate of people, who was not under any social security guarantee, was 15.5%. 50.3% of mothers were not literate. Families’ income was 8.5% good, 42.6% poor. In families, there was 33.3% rate of relationship between partners (consanguineous marriage). In 15.5% of families, there was another retarded child. 55 percent of mothers were never been under health check in pregnancy period. Retarded child was usually from first delivery (26.3%). 3.1% of our patients had twin pregnancy. Only 59,6% of the whole births were given at the hospital or by the help of a midwife. Children were suckled along 6.4±6.4 months. Only 8,5% of the children were being educated.Finally, we concluded that reducing convertible risk factors caused by the low education level of our region, underdeveloped socioeconomic conditions and some traditions (e.g. consanguineous marriage and delivery in house instead of health organization) has potential importance in the meaning of reducing the number of children with cerebral palsy