The hospital morbidity of persons with fetal alcohol syndrome in Saskatchewan

Abstract

This study described the hospital morbidity of 194,persons with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), born between 1973-1992, who were identified through a major referral center for Saskatchewan children with disabling conditions. Computerized provincial hospital separation data were obtained for 84% of 101 males and 77% of 93 females. Complete hospitalization histories were obtained for 128 patients, and partial histories for 29 patients. This data provided information on 1,556 hospitalizations from January 1, 1973 to November 30, 1992. At least 54% of study group members experienced morbidity as newborns, and 83% of all females and 91% of all males had experienced at least one other hospitalization (excluding the newborn stay) during their life (based on provincial data combined with information from patient follow-up and record reviews). By November 1992 (provincial data only), the mean number of hospitalizations (SD) for males and females age 15-19 years was 8.4 (7.0) and 10.2 (8.1), respectively. For children