Post-polio hospital admissions in Australia over a 10-year period: An observational study and analysis of trends by month, location, and comparable conditions.

Abstract

Background: There is currently no precise estimate of post-polio conditions in Australia. This observational study aimed to provide a summary of hospitalisations over a 10-year period in Australia, with a specific focus on annual, monthly, and regional trends, as well as a comparison with four similar neurological conditions.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of late effects of polio and post-polio syndrome from 2011 to 2021. Primary data were obtained via a data-on-request process through the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in 2022. Analysis was carried out according to Welch Analyses of Variance with Games-Howell post-Hoc tests using GraphPad PRISM and Stata Version 17.0.

Results: There was a statistically significant decrease in the monthly hospitalisations over the 10-year period and months according to seasonal trends, and significant differences across geographical regions and regionality. Significant differences existed between the number of hospitalisations per 100 000 population across diagnostic codes (p < 0.01).

Conclusions: Annual trends were identified from 2010 to 2021 for post-polio hospitalisations in Australia. This research improves the precision of estimates for post-polio conditions in Australia, and provides helpful information on where people are hospitalized in Australia. These estimates are internationally comparable and can inform clinicians and health service managers worldwide.