Predictors of Severe and Permanent Disability in Children Evaluated in Health Boards: A Single-Center Study

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the severe and permanent disability of the childrenevaluated in the disabled health boards and to evaluate the predictors of severe and permanentdisability.Material and Methods: Records of 1482 children who were referred to a university hospitalhealth board for disability between the years 2013-2018 were screened retrospectively.Results: More than half (52.2%) of the children had a single psychopathology. 83.5% of thecases were severely disabled and 66.5% were permanently disabled. Severely disabled childrenwere significantly more likely to have psychiatric, pediatric, neurological, orthopedic andotorhinolaringologic disorders. Permanent disability was significantly more frequent amongpatients with pediatric, ophthalmologic and cardiac disorders while children withpsychopathologies were significantly less likely to have permanent disability. Mentalretardation/intellectual developmental disorder levels differed in rates of permanent disabilitywith pair-wise comparisons revealing that severe mental retardation/intellectualdevelopmental disorder was the main factor. Severe disability was significantly more commonamong children younger than 8 years while permanent disability was more common amongchildren >3 years. Children with psychopathology were 4.1 times more likely to have severedisability and this further increased to 15.3 for those with mental retardation/intellectualdevelopmental disorder.Conclusion: This is the first study to evaluate the factors that affecting the decisions ofpermanent and severe disabilities in disability health boards. Comprehensive results have beenachieved despite low generalizability. To provide consistent reports, further and multicenterstudies on factors associated with severe and permanent disabilities in children are needed

Predictors of Severe and Permanent Disability in Children Evaluated in Health Boards: A Single-Center Study

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the severe and permanent disability of the childrenevaluated in the disabled health boards and to evaluate the predictors of severe and permanentdisability.Material and Methods: Records of 1482 children who were referred to a university hospitalhealth board for disability between the years 2013-2018 were screened retrospectively.Results: More than half (52.2%) of the children had a single psychopathology. 83.5% of thecases were severely disabled and 66.5% were permanently disabled. Severely disabled childrenwere significantly more likely to have psychiatric, pediatric, neurological, orthopedic andotorhinolaringologic disorders. Permanent disability was significantly more frequent amongpatients with pediatric, ophthalmologic and cardiac disorders while children withpsychopathologies were significantly less likely to have permanent disability. Mentalretardation/intellectual developmental disorder levels differed in rates of permanent disabilitywith pair-wise comparisons revealing that severe mental retardation/intellectualdevelopmental disorder was the main factor. Severe disability was significantly more commonamong children younger than 8 years while permanent disability was more common amongchildren >3 years. Children with psychopathology were 4.1 times more likely to have severedisability and this further increased to 15.3 for those with mental retardation/intellectualdevelopmental disorder.Conclusion: This is the first study to evaluate the factors that affecting the decisions ofpermanent and severe disabilities in disability health boards. Comprehensive results have beenachieved despite low generalizability. To provide consistent reports, further and multicenterstudies on factors associated with severe and permanent disabilities in children are needed