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Housing and need for personal assistance in relation to hand function : a cross-sectional study of 2304 Swedish adults with cerebral palsy

Pettersson, Katina LU ; Hedberg-Graff, Jenny ; Lindgren, Anna LU ; Manousaki, Evgenia LU ; Cloodt, Erika LU and Rodby-Bousquet, Elisabet LU orcid (2026) In Disability and Health Journal
Abstract

Background: Less adults with cerebral palsy (CP) lives independently, compared to adults without disabilities. Access to personal assistance may help overcome barriers to independent living. Also, little is known about hand function in adults with CP, and the role of hand function in achieving independent living remains unexplored. Objective: To explore the associations between housing and personal assistance in adults with CP, relative to their hand function, age and sex. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional registry-based study of 2304 adults with CP, aged 20–64 years old, from the Swedish CP Follow-up Program and Quality Registry. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs). Results: Almost half (48%) of the... (More)

Background: Less adults with cerebral palsy (CP) lives independently, compared to adults without disabilities. Access to personal assistance may help overcome barriers to independent living. Also, little is known about hand function in adults with CP, and the role of hand function in achieving independent living remains unexplored. Objective: To explore the associations between housing and personal assistance in adults with CP, relative to their hand function, age and sex. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional registry-based study of 2304 adults with CP, aged 20–64 years old, from the Swedish CP Follow-up Program and Quality Registry. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs). Results: Almost half (48%) of the adults with CP lived independently, and 35% lived with their parents. Independent living was strongly associated with hand function, age and access to personal assistance. The probability of independent living decreased with increasing MACS levels. The odds for independent living increased with access to personal assistance (OR 13.6, 95% CI 9.5–19.6), age (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.08–1.10), and was higher in women (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0–1.5) than men. In total, 995 (43%) adults received personal assistance. The probability for assistance increased successively with MACS levels to MACS V (OR 5.31, 95% CI 4.79–6.96). Conclusions: Hand function and access to personal assistance are key predictors of independent living in adults with CP. Promoting hand function and ensuring adequate assistance are essential for improving autonomy and quality of life in adults with CP.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Adults, Cerebral palsy, Hand function, Housing, Personal assistance
in
Disability and Health Journal
article number
102075
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:41966963
  • scopus:105035236477
ISSN
1936-6574
DOI
10.1016/j.dhjo.2026.102075
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
29838653-2525-4508-80a2-5d003515965d
date added to LUP
2026-04-30 13:09:18
date last changed
2026-05-28 15:04:52
@article{29838653-2525-4508-80a2-5d003515965d,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Less adults with cerebral palsy (CP) lives independently, compared to adults without disabilities. Access to personal assistance may help overcome barriers to independent living. Also, little is known about hand function in adults with CP, and the role of hand function in achieving independent living remains unexplored. Objective: To explore the associations between housing and personal assistance in adults with CP, relative to their hand function, age and sex. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional registry-based study of 2304 adults with CP, aged 20–64 years old, from the Swedish CP Follow-up Program and Quality Registry. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs). Results: Almost half (48%) of the adults with CP lived independently, and 35% lived with their parents. Independent living was strongly associated with hand function, age and access to personal assistance. The probability of independent living decreased with increasing MACS levels. The odds for independent living increased with access to personal assistance (OR 13.6, 95% CI 9.5–19.6), age (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.08–1.10), and was higher in women (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0–1.5) than men. In total, 995 (43%) adults received personal assistance. The probability for assistance increased successively with MACS levels to MACS V (OR 5.31, 95% CI 4.79–6.96). Conclusions: Hand function and access to personal assistance are key predictors of independent living in adults with CP. Promoting hand function and ensuring adequate assistance are essential for improving autonomy and quality of life in adults with CP.</p>}},
  author       = {{Pettersson, Katina and Hedberg-Graff, Jenny and Lindgren, Anna and Manousaki, Evgenia and Cloodt, Erika and Rodby-Bousquet, Elisabet}},
  issn         = {{1936-6574}},
  keywords     = {{Adults; Cerebral palsy; Hand function; Housing; Personal assistance}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Disability and Health Journal}},
  title        = {{Housing and need for personal assistance in relation to hand function : a cross-sectional study of 2304 Swedish adults with cerebral palsy}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2026.102075}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.dhjo.2026.102075}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}