AN INVESTIGATION CONCERNING THE INCIDENCE OF ILLNESS IN A FORESTRY-VILLAGE (NAGURI-MURA, SAITAMA PREFECTURE)
II. STATISTICAL STUDY ON THE INCIDENCE OF DISEASES
1959 Volume 8 Issue 2-3 Pages 137-154_2
Details
1959 Volume 8 Issue 2-3 Pages 137-154_2
The author conducted an investigation into the incidence of illness in the whole population of Naguri-mura, Saitama Prefecture, by making door-to-door visits.Investigation was made twice, in August, 1957 (covering 3401 population)and in May, 1958 (covering 3290 population), taking a whole month respectively.The materials thus obtained were adjusted in consideration of the results of another investigation of similar kind concurrently conducted on the basis of medical records.The findings adjusted in this way were made to represent the authentic total amount of diseases in respective months, and were then subjected to various analyses.Total cases were classified into four categories according to whether or not they turned up during the respective periods of investigation, and according to whether or not they were healed, moved to other doctors or died during the same periods.In this way analyzing the incidence of illness in this village from static and dynamic standpoints, the following results were obtained.
1. The total number of cases was 1444 in August and 865 in May according to houseto-house inquiry, but the authentic numbers obtained after correction in the light of the medical records were 1605 in August and 958 in May.
2. Ratio of prevalence was 34.3% in August and 18.1% in May incidence was 188.6% in August and 178.6% in May.
3. The kinds of diseases notable in August were neuralgia, lumbago, cold, gastro-duodenal diseases and wounds, and those of May were conjunctivitis, lumbago, neuralgia, cold, hypertensive diseases, wounds, gastro-duodenal diseases and allergy, according to the order of frequency.
4. Percentages held by healthy families(families whose entire members were free from illness) were 21.3 in August and 38.0 in May.Percentage of families healthy in both periods was 13.0.
5. On the basis of the present investigation it became clear that, in order to grasp the true conditions of health and disease, investigation must be undertaken over and over again in a variety of seasons, taking into consideration seasonal variations, diseases and wounds incidental to farming, conditions of location, etc.
