Abstract
IntroductionPoverty is a key contributor to delayed diagnosis and limited access to early intervention and rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in rural Bangladesh. 97% of families of children with CP live below the poverty line in Bangladesh. Therefore, in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), efforts to improve outcomes for children with CP (including health-related quality of life, motor function, communication, and nutritional attainments) should also include measures to improve family economic and social capital. We propose a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated microfinance/livelihood and community-based rehabilitation (IMCBR) program for ultra-poor families of children with CP in rural Bangladesh.Material and methodsThis will be a cluster RCT comparing three arms: (a) integrated microfinance/livelihood and community-based rehabilitation (IMCBR); (b) community-based rehabilitation (CBR) alone; and (c) care-as-usual (i.e. no intervention). Seven clusters will be recruited within each arm. Each cluster will consist of 10 child-caregiver dyads totalling 21 clusters with 210 dyads. Parents recruited in the IMCBR arm will take part in a microfinance/livelihood program and Parent Training Module (PTM), their children with CP will take part in a Goal Directed Training (GDT) program. The programs will be facilitated by specially trained Community Rehabilitation Officers. The CBR arm includes the same PTM and GDT interventions excluding the microfinance/livelihood program. The care-as-usual arm will be provided with information about early intervention and rehabilitation. The assessors will be blinded to group allocation. The duration of the intervention will be 12 months; outcomes will be measured at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months.ConclusionThis will be the first RCT of an integrated microfinance/livelihood and CBR program for children with CP in LMIC settings. Evidence from the study could transform approaches to improving wellbeing of children with CP and their ultra-poor families.
Highlights
Poverty is a key contributor to delayed diagnosis and limited access to early intervention and rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in rural Bangladesh. 97% of families of children with CP live below the poverty line in Bangladesh
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of non-progressive neurological disorders caused by damage to the developing brain [1]
The prevalence and severity of CP are considerably higher in lowand middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with high-income countries (HICs) [2,3,4] and diagnosis is likely to be delayed [3]
Summary
Poverty is a key contributor to delayed diagnosis and limited access to early intervention and rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in rural Bangladesh. 97% of families of children with CP live below the poverty line in Bangladesh. Poverty is a key contributor to delayed diagnosis and limited access to early intervention and rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in rural Bangladesh. 97% of families of children with CP live below the poverty line in Bangladesh. In low-and middleincome countries (LMICs), efforts to improve outcomes for children with CP (including health-related quality of life, motor function, communication, and nutritional attainments) should include measures to improve family economic and social capital. We propose a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated microfinance/livelihood and community-based rehabilitation (IMCBR) program for ultra-poor families of children with CP in rural Bangladesh
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