Abstract
We describe the hospital utilization of 194 Saskatchewan persons with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (88% Aboriginal), born between 1973–92. Complete provincial hospitalization data were obtained for 128 patients; partial data for 29 patients. Proportionately more persons missing data were adopted, not living with biological family members or were deceased. The hospital separation rates for the children with FAS, pooled from 1987–91, compared to the 1989–90 Saskatchewan rates were significantly higher (95% level of confidence) for males and females <1 year, 1–4 years and 5–14 years of age. Relative to Saskatchewan Registered Indians, significantly higher hospitalization rate ratios were observed for males with FAS in all age groups and for females only age 5–14 years. Rate ratios for younger females may not have achieved significance because of missing data. Higher hospitalization rates in children with FAS may not be explained solely by factors associated with ethnicity.
Résumé
Nous présentons une description des soins hospitaliers reçus par 194 personnes de la Saskatchewan souffrant du syndrome d’alcoolisme foetal (88 % d’origine autochtone) nées entre 1973 et 1992. Pour 128 patients, nous avons été en mesure d’obtenir les données complètes relatives à leur hospitalisation, alors que pour 29 patients, les données obtenues n’étaient que partielles. Parmi les personnes dont les données étaient incomplètes, un grand nombre avaient été adoptées, ne vivaient pas avec des membres de leur famille biologique ou étaient décédées. Pour les garçons et les filles âgés de moins d’un an, de 1 à 4 ans et de 5 à 14 ans, les taux de sortie de l’hôpital des enfants souffrant du syndrome d’alcoolisme foetal recueillis entre 1987 et 1991 étaient statistiquement considérablement plus élevés que ceux applicables à la Saskatchewan pour la période 1989–1990. En comparaison du nombre d’Indiens inscrits au registre de la Saskatchewan, on a observé des taux d’hospitalisation plus élevés chez les garçons de tous les groupes d’âge souffrant du syndrome d’alcoolisme foetal, alors que dans le cas des filles, ces taux plus élevés ne s’appliquaient qu’au groupe des 5 à 14 ans. Les taux applicables aux filles plus jeunes ne sont probablement pas significatifs car les données recueillies sont incomplètes. Le taux d’hospitalisation supérieur des enfants souffrant du syndrome d’alcoolisme foetal ne peut pas s’expliquer exclusivement par des facteurs reliés à l’origine ethnique.
Footnotes
The study and its conclusions are the responsibility of the authors and are not those of Saskatchewan Health.
This study was conducted with the aid of research grants from the Health Services Utilization and Research Commission of Saskatchewan and the Henderson Research Fund, Saskatchewan Association for Community Living.
Contributor Information
Elaine A. Loney, Phone: 902-832-0228, Email: eloney@ns.sympatico.ca.
Josephine L. Nanson, Phone: 306-996-6681, Email: Nanson@sask.usask.ca.
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