Functioning and activity outcomes of the Akwenda Intervention Program for children and young adults with cerebral palsy in Uganda: A cluster-randomized trial
Loading...
Date
2025-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
John Wiley and Sons Inc
Abstract
Aim To evaluate the efficacy of the Akwenda Intervention Program on motor, self-care, and social function of children and young people with cerebral palsy (CP). Method This was a cluster-randomized, controlled, single-blinded, intervention study of 100 participants with CP (2–23 years; 52 males) in rural eastern Uganda. Half were allocated to the intervention program, the remainder served as waitlist controls. Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (GMFM-66) and the Ugandan version of Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI-UG) were collected before group allocation and after intervention. General linear models and t -tests were used to compare changes within and between groups. Cohen's d estimated the effect size of group differences. Change scores were evaluated by age and mobility subgroups. Results Significant group by time interactions were found for GMFM-66 ( p =0.003) and PEDI-UG outcomes ( p <0.001), except mobility, with the intervention group demonstrating greater changes. Both groups increased their scores on the GMFM-66 and child PEDI-UG, while only the intervention group had significant increases in caregiver assistance scores and across all age and mobility subgroups. Cohen's d showed large effect sizes ( d >0.8) of differences for PEDI-UG outcomes except mobility. Interpretation The Akwenda Intervention Program had a large positive impact on functioning and activity across age and mobility levels.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Asige, Elizabeth, Gillian Saloojee, Carin Andrews, et al. 'Functioning and Activity Outcomes of the Akwenda Intervention Program for Children and Young Adults with Cerebral Palsy in Uganda: A cluster‐randomized Trial', Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, vol. 67/no. 1, (2025), pp. 87-98.