STATISTICAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MENTAL HYGIENE STUDY OF THE EASTERN HEALTH DISTRICT OF BALTIMORE
1. The Incidence and Prevalence of Psychosis in the Eastern Health District in 1933
Bernard M. Cohen Ph. D.1, and
Ruth E. Fairbank M. D.1
1 The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health
1. The rate of first admissions of psychotics to hospitals for mental disease from the Eastern Health District in 1933 is 17.5.0 per 100,000 of the population 15 years of age and over. The race and sex specific rates are: white males, 172.3; white females, 138.9; negro males, 376.0; negro females, 137.9. The negro male rate is significantly different from the others, and the difference seems to be due to an exceptionally high proportion of syphilitic psychosis in that group.
2. The average rates of first admissions per year, for the years 1933 to 1936 inclusive are: white males, 161.2; white females, 116.2; negro males, 250.7; negro females, 143.6.
3. The prevalence of psychosis in the district in 1933, as measured by all discoverable cases who could be allocated to the district, is 818.4 per 100,000 of the population 15 years of age and over.
The race and sex specific rates are: white males, 874.4; white females, 875.7; negro males, 827.3; negro females, 390.7. The relative deficiency of negro females cannot be explained.
4. The two wards of the district differ appreciably in prevalence of psychosis. The rates are:
5. The differences between the two wards are not associated with differences in age composition of the populations of the two wards. No explanation for the differences has yet been discovered, but the general fact appears to be one of importance to psychiatry.
