Developmental Disabilities

Identifying Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Treatment Methods for Pediatric Cerebral Palsy in Ghana

PI: Blessed Sheriff, Brown University, PLME 2019/MD 2023

Advisors: Dr. Kwame Sakyi, Dr. Tim Flanigan, Mr. Prince Owusu

Funder: Brown University’s Framework in Global Health Program

This study seeks to examine the various approaches (medical and non-medical) used by mothers to ameliorate, manage, or otherwise treat cerebral palsy in Ghanaian children. The goal of this study is to explore how various methods of care are perceived in order to draw evidence based recommendations for improving care seeking among mothers of children with cerebral palsy.  For the purposes of this investigation, the following definitions are provided for different methods of care:

 
 

Specific Aims

  • To identify and characterize the various complementary, alternative, and integrative methods used by mothers to care for children with cerebral palsy

  • To understand the beliefs, attitudes, intentions, and expectations surrounding different methods of care for children with cerebral palsy and to determine how these shape care-seeking behaviors among mothers of children with cerebral palsy

 

The long-term goals of this study:

1.     To provide policymakers and stakeholders comprehensive data about what influences mothers to seek care in and outside of the hospital

2.    To suggest possible points of intervention to ensure that essential medical care is being provided for children with cerebral palsy.

 

There are three categories of participants who will partake in this research project as outlined above. Mothers are the primary participants in this study due to their high level of participation as caregivers for children with cerebral palsy. Health workers and alternative/complementary medicine providers are additional participants in this study who will provide expertise on the different methods and strategies of care for children with cerebral palsy. Health workers and alternative/complementary medicine providers will allow researchers to gauge more information about expectations and attitudes surrounding medical care vs. alternative care and will also help researchers characterize care-seeking behaviors within different health care settings.

 

Progress Report

Implementation of the study will start in June, 2019