HOSPITALIZATION OF INFANTS FOR INFECTIONS IN WESTERN-AUSTRALIA, 1980-91

Rates of hospitalization of Aboriginal infants in Western Australia fr om 1980 through 1991 for infections were much higher than for other in fants and were consistently higher in rural areas than in metropolitan areas. There were substantial declines in rates of hospital admission s and bed occupancy of rural Aboriginal infants for respiratory and ga strointestinal infections during the study period; changes in rates fo r other infections were less marked and less consistent. Despite recen t improvements, Aboriginal infants are hospitalized much more frequent ly and for longer than other infants because of these diseases. Hospit alization rates reflect many factors including disease incidence and s everity but also are affected by isolation, climatic and physical cond itions, and access to medical and nursing care. Preventive health prog rammes need to be maintained and intensified in order to improve healt h standards of young Aborigines and to lessen their need for hospital care.