Factors Influencing Utilization of Physiotherapy Service among Children with Cerebral Palsy in Jalandhar District of Punjab

BACKGROUND: Physiotherapy plays a central role in the management of children with cerebral palsy (CP); however, literature describing the use of physiotherapy service and the factors affecting utilization of physiotherapy service for this group of children in the Indian context remain unexplored. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe the utilization of physiotherapy services and explore the factors affecting utilization of physiotherapy services among children with CP of Jalandhar district of Punjab. METHODOLOGY: During June 2009 to March 2012 interview of family members of 248 children with CP (male = 159; female = 89) was conducted using a schedule focusing on demography, constraints of resources, expectations, beliefs, awareness, and service utilization. Cross tabulation with Chi-square, univariate, and multivariate logistic regression analysis were the tools of statistical analysis. RESULTS: 44.4% children had not received any physiotherapy in their life time. In univariate analysis exposure to physiotherapy was found significantly associated with age of diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 2.47), finance constraint (OR = 2.27), personal constraint (OR = 2.54), transportation constraint (OR = 3.01), lack of advice for rehabilitation (OR = 2.36), ignorance about condition (OR = 11.94), and rehabilitation services (OR = 2.88). Multivariate model (χ(2) = 57.16, df = 15, P < 0.001, pseudo R(2) Cox and Snell = 0.22, Nagelkerke = 0.27) identified two main predictor variables of nonexposure to physiotherapy-ignorance about condition (OR = 7.3) and expectation of normalcy (OR = 0.43). CONCLUSION: The main drivers for the use of physiotherapy among children with CP in Jalandhar district of Punjab were awareness about the condition of CP and expectation of normalcy which demonstrated a complex relationship with sociodemographic factors.