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Poliomyelitis: long‐time consequences for social life
Author(s) -
Farbu E.,
Gilhus N. E.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1997.tb00297.x
Subject(s) - poliomyelitis , norwegian , medicine , disability pension , pension , population , full time , pediatrics , physical therapy , family medicine , political science , environmental health , philosophy , linguistics , law
In a study of 102 consecutive patients hospitalized for previous poliomyelitis, we found that 70 patients had continued education after elementary school and 18 were academics. This is a higher proportion than in the general Norwegian population. All 14 patients with paraparesis had continued education after elementary school, while as many as 12 of 18 patients with a university degree had widespread pareses in the acute phase. Of the patients 46 worked or had worked full‐time up to 60 years of age. Only 29 patients were receiving a disabled pension. Another 9 patients had neither been employed nor received any pension, all housewives. Nine of 14 patients with paraparesis were working full‐time, only 2 received disabled pension. Among the 35 patients with persisting widespread pareses, 11 were still in full‐time work and 7 were working part‐time. The employment rate among the patients in this study was nearly identical to the age‐correlated general employment rate in Norway. Our conclusion is that polio patients are doing well in society; they have taken education, are working, and are generally self‐supported. The degree of pareses does not seem to have been the most determining factor for their educational and professional activity.