Young adults with severe physical disabilities : Negative public health care experiences after their health care transition in Finland

Abstract

This study aimed to identify factors associated with negative public health care experiences of Finnish young adults with severe physical disabilities with or without a co-occurring intellectual disability after their transition from child to adult health care. Paediatric neurologists used clinical examination Gross Motor Function Classification System (Expanded & Revised) level IV or V to diagnose severe physical disabilities in all 74 subjects (M age 20.2). Thirty-nine of the participants (53%) had a co-occurring intellectual disability according to ICD-10 (IQ < 70). Paediatric neurologists developed the instrument Severely Disabled Youths’ Life Situation and the Functioning of the Service Systems in Finland to collect data. Fisher’s exact tests examined the association between experiences with health care factors and public health care. Binary logistic regressions predicted negative public health care experiences from negative experiences with needing new assistive devices, difficulty getting a physician’s appointment, and physician’s lack of disability knowledge. Multi-professional neurology clinics for young adults with severe physical disabilities and disability education for physicians could improve health care access.