In July 1999 Dr. Holland refered to and posted results of a 1997 Survey
of the Central Virginia Post-Polio Support Group to the POLIO email list. With his kind permission, excerpts from his post, including all of the survey data are below:

"Sixty-one members of our PPSG completed the surveys that were mailed to the membership in October 1997. I appreciate the time and mental energy that these sixty-one individuals expended to complete this review. Forty-five women and sixteen men completed surveys. Following are some demographic results."

Average age of PPSers:   59 Years Old Range of age:   38 to 82 Years Old MARITAL STATUS   NUMBER PER CENT Married 43 70.5 % Divorced 5 8.1 % Widowed 6 10.0 % Single 5 8.1 % Marital Status Unknown 2 3.3 % CHILDREN Average Number of Children 2 Range: 0 to 5 Number With at Least One Child 49   /   80% OCCUPATIONS Homemaker   12 Business / Accounting   12 Teacher / Education   9 Secretary   7 Medically Related   6    Variety of Other Occupations: lawyer, engineer, draftsman, artist, entertainer, mechanic, plumber, interior design, heavy equipment operator, parole officer EDUCATION   NUMBER PERCENT Less Than High School 3 4.9% High School Grad 10 16.4% Some College 17 27.9% College Grad 13 21.3% College Grad Plus 2 3.3% Graduate Degree or Higher 16 26.2% College Education or Higher 31 51% Average Age of Contracting Acute Polio:   8 Years Old Range of Age:   2 Months to 27 Years LOCATION AT TIME OF ORIGINAL POLIO STATE OR COUNTRY NUMBER Virginia 32     Richmond     10     Norfolk     4 North Carolina 5 Washington D.C., Florida, Connecticut, New York, California, and Pennsylvania 2 each Nebraska, Kentucky, Indiana, South Carolina, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Zaire, Ontario, Canada, Germany, and the Philippines 1 each RURAL / URBAN   NUMBER PERCENT Urban Location 29 47.6 % Rural Location 16 26.2 % Small town location [<25,000] 16 26.2 % ALLEGED SOURCE OF INFECTION SOURCE NUMBER PERCENT Unknown 22 36.1 % Social Contact 15 25 % Water 12 19.7 % Medical Center 7 11 % Epidemic in Locality 5 8.2 % PLACE OF TREATMENT FOR ACCUTE POLIO PLACE NUMBER PERCENT  MCV 16 26.2 %  DePaul 4 6.6 %  D.C. Children's 3 4.9 %  Medical Center 7 11 %  Other Hospitals 26 42.6 %  Home or Out-Patient 6 9.8 %  Unknown 6 9.8 %  Total Hospitalized 49 80.3 %

LENGTHS OF INITIAL HOSPITAL STAY: [in months] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 5 6 5 2 4 3 2 4 11 1 -

INITIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING ACUTE POLIO Feet One Leg Waist Down Waist Down One Side Neck Down Neck Down One Side I. Lung One Side 2 9 9 2 17 11 9

NUMBER OF YEARS OF MAXIMUM FUNCTION AFTER POLIO 10 to 20 20 to 30 30 to 40 40-50 11 19 21 8

ASSISTIVE DEVICES USED DURING YEARS OF MAXIMUM FUNCTIONING None Sp.Shoes Crutches Cane(s) One Brace Braces Braces & WC Wheelchair 23 6 3 2 14 1 6 5

VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF POLIO DURING MAXIMUM YEARS OF FUNCTIONING Limp or Atroph. Arm Atrop. Limp/Atrop.& Sp.Curve Orth. Device Spinal Curve Sp.Curve & Orth. Devices Balance Voice 24 1 14 4 3 5 1 1

YEAR THAT INDIVIDUAL FELT PPS BEGAN < 1970 1970-74 1975-79 1980-84 1985-89 1990-84 1995 - 4 0 7 14 23 8 2

FIRST SYMPTOMS OF PPS [ M=Motor Loss F=Fatigue P=Pain ] M F P MF MP MFP Breathing Swallowing 19 4 1 17 3 11 1 2

TYPES OF PHYSICIANS MAKING DIAGNOSIS OF PPS PM&R Neurology Orthopedic Family Pr. Int.Med. ENT 27 8 5 1 2 1

SEVERITY OF PPS Severe Moderate Mild 23 31 2

OTHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS Other Medical Problems No Other Medical Problems 44 16

VARIOUS TREATMENTS Rx Vitamins PT OTC Massage Herbs Exercise Chiro Water Alcohol 25 29 5 8 5 3 8 1 11 2

MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR PPS Pacing Exercise. Massage PT Rest Water Meds Faith Wine Couns None 3 4 3 4 6 12 13 1 1 1 6

HYPERTENSION Number With Hypertension: 22 or 36% (all 22 are being treated) HORMONES Number Receiving Hormones: 27 or 44%   TYPES OF HORMONES: Female Hormones Steroid Testosterone DHEA 23 1 1 2

SLEEP DISTURBANCE Number With Sleep Disturbance: 32 or 52.5%    TREATMENTS: TCAs=Tri-Cyclic Antidepressants TCAs SSRIs TyPM Trazodone Hydroxy Herbs Benzos 1 2 4 2 1 2 7 Analg Melatonin   1 1      REPORTED CAUSES FOR SLEEP DISTURBANCE Interrupted Initiating Restless Stress Breathing Nocturia Nightmares 13 6 2 1 2 1 1

UROGENITAL PROBLEMS Number With Urogenital Problems 36 or 59%    TYPES OF UROGENITAL PROBLEMS: Incontinence Impotency Frequency Nocturia UTI 15 7 15 9 7

COGNITION PROBLEMS Number Reporting Cognition Problems 44 or 72%    TYPES OF COGNITION PROBLEMS: [ CONC. & CON=Concentration ] Word Find Memory Conc. Con./Mem. Word/Con Word/Mem W/M/C Old Age 17 7 2 4 1 3 7 3 ?

PAIN Number With New Pain Associated With PPS: 49 or 80% Treatments Varied EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS Number Reporting Anxiety,Depressed Mood or Other Emotional Symptoms: 32 or 52%    TREATMEMTS: Meds Talking Activity Prayer Rest Counseling 11 6 2 4 3 2

MOTOR WEAKNESS Number with New Motor Weakness With PPS: 55 or 90% "TYPE A" PERSONALITY Definition of "Type A" Personality Used For Survey Number Reporting So Called "Type A" Personality Number Denied "Type A" Somewhat No Answer 46 or 75% 6 or 10% 2 or 3% 7 or 12%

FAMILY IMPACT Number Reporting PPS Having Some Impact on Family: 31 or 51%    TYPES OF IMPACT: On Spouse On Children Denial Burden Lazy Family Helpful Divorce 8 1 3 1 1 7 1

BEST & WORST TIMES OF DAY FOR PPSERS    What is The Best Time of Day For PPSers?: Morning Late Morning Midday Afternoon Late Afternoon Evening 25 4 11 8 8 5    What is The Worst Time of Day For PPSers?: Morning Late Morning Midday Afternoon Late Afternoon Evening 17 0 2 8 17 11

EMPLOYMENT/DISABILITY Number Working Full Time 11 (6 over 40hrs/wk) or 18% Number Working Part Time 6 (Range: 5 to 30 hrs/wk) or 10% Number Disabled From Working 25 or 41% Number Receiving SSDI 17 (plus 2 that were getting before SS)or 28% Number Receiving Private Disability Benefits 7 or 12%

SUPPORT GROUPS Number Attending at Least 1 Meeting in Last Year 28 or 46% (3 to Other Groups) Number Preferring Our Current Meeting Time 39 or 64%    TIME OF DAY PREFERRED: Morning Noon 2PM 4PM Anytime 7 2 20 1 3    OTHER DAYS REQUESTED FOR MEETINGS: Sunday Wednesday Thursday     3 3 1        NUMBER DESIRING MORE SOCIAL EVENTS: Yes No       14 21          TYPES OF SOCIAL EVENTS SUGGESTED: Picnic Meals Trip     7 7 1        TYPES OF MEETINGS PREFERRED: Outside Sp Lg Group Inf Lg Group Foc Sm Group Inf Sm Group Foc 15 9 3 5 8 Number Unable to Attend Meetings 13 or 21% Number (physically unable) Who Would Come if Transportation Were Provided 6 (3 of these can drive, but would need assistance getting from car to meeting room) Number (Physically Able) Who Would Come if Transportation Provided 13

OPTIONAL DATA Number Providing Names 58 Number Providing Phone Numbers 56 Number Providing Race 56    BREAKDOWN BY RACE: White African American Native American 55 1 1 Number Providing Religion 57    BREAKDOWN BY RELIGION: Christian Jewish Other 53 1 1

Dr. Holland Described the term "Type A Personality" used for this survey. Follows is that explaination:

"While I am on a roll, I also noticed the comments that have been made about the so called Type A personality. The term Type A personality is not a diagnostic entity. It is a popular term that originated from a description of the alleged types of individuals who were at high risk for coronary artery disease. The typical Type A description is alleged to be an individual who is rather controlling in his/her behavior, especially in relation to other people. This individual tends to be highly motivated to achieve goals, is somewhat obsessive compulsive in personality type, is usually a workaholic, finds it difficult to relax, and tends to have an edge of irritability when under stress which is often self imposed. Many of us may fit this description; although I have found that many PPSers are caring, perceptive, and have considerable wit and humor. For whatever it is worth, I did a survey within my own support group and one of the questions had to do with the so called Type A personality. The survey included a definition of a Type A personality similar to the one offered above."
Back to Type A part of Survey

Dr. Holland is an active member of:
The Central Virginia Post-Polio Support Group

Short Autobiography by Dr. Holland Holland Files On The Lincolnshire Web Site