Health-care use and information needs of children with neonatal brachial plexus palsy: A cross-sectional survey among 465 Dutch patients.

Abstract

To investigate health-care use (HCU) and information needs of children aged 0–18 years with neonatal brachial plexus palsy (NBPP), a cross-sectional study was performed. Patients and/or parents seen in our NBPP clinic were invited to complete a survey comprising questions on HCU due to NBPP and current information needs. Outcomes were described for three age-groups (0–1/2–9/10–18 years), based on follow-up status (early/late/no-discharge). Four hundred sixty-five parents/patients participated (59 in the 0–1, 226 in the 2–9, and 180 in the 10–18-year group). Two hundred ninety-three patients had C5–C6 lesions, 193 were discharged from follow-up, 83 of whom categorized as ‘early discharged’ (<1 year of age). Over the past year, 198 patients had contact with the expert team (49 in the 0–1, 81 in the 2–9, and 68 in the 10–18-year group) and 288 with at least one other health-care professional (53 in the 0–1, 133 in the 2–9, and 102 in the 10–18-year group). Of the 83 patients discharged early, 34 reported health-care use. Two hundred twenty-eight participants reported current information needs of whom 23 were discharged early. HCU and information needs of Dutch children with NBPP remains considerable even in children who were discharged. Stricter follow-up and information provision for these patients is needed.