Access to rehabilitation services for children and adolescents with cerebral palsy in Argentina: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Introduction. Therapeutic intervention for cerebral palsy (CP) involves a set of strategies implemented from the first months of life onward to promote motor, cognitive, and social development. There is limited regional information on how socioeconomic characteristics affect this population's access to health care. Objective. To analyze access to therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and the age at which they begin, in relation to health coverage and the educational level of caregivers in the pediatric population with CP in Argentina. Population and methods. A multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study using data from the Argentine Cerebral Palsy Registry (RAR-PC) was conducted between October 2021 and May 2023. The study included individuals with cerebral palsy aged 1 to 19 years. The age of onset and access to rehabilitation were assessed based on health coverage and the caregivers' educational level. Results. A total of 399 patients were analyzed; 73.4% (n = 293) were between 1 and 10 years old, and 65.9% (n = 244) had severe motor impairment. The median age at diagnosis was 1 year (IQR 1-1.75); 18.7% (n = 72) had insufficient access to rehabilitation. The type of health coverage and the caregiver's low educational level were associated with reduced access (p = 0.001; p = 0.009). Conclusion. Caregivers' health insurance coverage and educational level influence access to rehabilitation. This highlights the need for strategies to promote greater equity.