STATE STERILIZATION PROGRAMS FOR THE PROPHYLACTIC CONTROL OF MENTAL DISEASE AND MENTAL DEFICIENCY
Abstract
1. Selective sterilization as a prophylactic measure for the prevention of mental defect has been employed in varying degree in various states.
2. Though the ratio of total sterilization to the estimated population is not a wholly satisfactory basis for comparison of the completeness of this program, it is the best available.
3. Delaware has made the most extensive use of selective sterilization with 238 tubectomies per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by California, Virginia, Kansas and Oregon.
4. In the years 1939 to 1943 inclusive, Virginia has been the most active, with 10.4 sterilizations per 100,000 per year, followed by California, Kansas, Delaware and North Dakota.
5. In 1943 the most active program was in Utah, with 12.1 tubectomies per 100,000 of population, with Virginia, North Dakota, Delaware, Nebraska and California following.
6. An important bar to a more extensive use of this form of prophylaxis is the public's lack of understanding of the differences between castration and sterilization.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).
