Hospitalisation patterns in children from 10 Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory

Abstract

Objective: To describe childhood hospitalisation patterns in rural Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. Design: Longitudinal data for 1976-1985 were collected retrospectively between March 1986 and December 1987. Cohort: All children born between 1 January 1976 and 31 December 1985 and identified in records at 10 community health centres were included in the study, except for 30 children who were residents of more than one community. Records of hospital admissions were ascertained for the remaining 2254 children until five years of age or 31 December 1985, whichever was earlier. Results: Mean admission rates for Aboriginal children aged 0-1 year were two to three times the natio..