Article

The routine use of psychometrically robust assessment tools is integral to
best practice. This systematic review aims to determine the extent to which
evidence-based assessment tools were used by allied health practitioners for
children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: The Preferred Reporting Items for
Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis protocols 2015 was employed. A search
strategy applied the free text terms: 'allied health practitioner', 'assessment',
and 'cerebral palsy', and related subject headings to seven databases. Included
articles reported assessment practices of occupational therapists,
physiotherapists, or speech pathologists working with children with CP aged 0 to
18 years, published from the year 2000. RESULTS:
Fourteen articles met the
inclusion criteria. Eighty-eight assessment tools were reported, of which 23 were
in high use. Of these, three tools focused on gross motor function and had
acceptable validity for use with children with CP: Gross Motor Function Measure,
Gross Motor Function Classification System, and goniometry. Validated tools to
assess other activity components, participation, quality of life, and pain were
used infrequently or not at all. INTERPRETATION:
Allied health practitioners used
only a few of the available evidence-based assessment tools. Assessment findings
in many areas considered important by children and families were rarely
documented using validated assessment tools.
CI - (c) 2015 Mac Keith Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS