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A needs assessment survey of 268 polio survivors residing in Maine explored the incidence of postpolio syndrome as well as perceived need for and access to social and health care services. A large proportion reported experiencing postpolio syndrome. Although knowledgeable of their condition, a majority perceived that they had no access to knowledgeable physicians or social and health care services and most were having difficulty coping. Findings indicate that polio survivors' self-appraisal of their illness status is related to their perceived need for and access to social and health care services. The need for community-based services, including medical, rehabilitative, educational, and social work services, is indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A retrospective study of 82 elderly “failure to thrive” (FTT) inpatients suggests that FTT is diagnosed when the elderly patient's functional ability to live with multisystem diseases, cope with the ensuing problems, and manage his/her own care are remarkably diminished and no longer responsive to health care interventions. In an attempt to clarify the clinical picture of FTT, we used standardized questionnaires to abstract data from medical charts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]