ABSTRACT
There are epidemiological reasons for suspecting that infections may contribute to the etiology of schizophrenia, and it is claimed that the birth cohort that was in utero during the 1957 influenza epidemic in Helsinki, Finland, now has an increased incidence of schizophrenia. Three studies, all based on the admission statistics of Scottish psychiatric hospitals, were therefore undertaken to determine whether those who were in utero during the influenza A epidemics of 1918 to 1919 and 1957 were subsequently at increased risk of schizophrenia. Edinburgh data suggest that those who were in the sixth month of intrauterine development during the 1957 epidemic were subsequently at increased risk, but Scottish national data do not reveal any increased risk associated with either the 1918 to 1919 or 1957 epidemics. Overall, the hypothesis that maternal influenza may contribute to the etiology of schizophrenia is not supported, but the possibility cannot yet be discounted.
Subject(s)
Disease Outbreaks , Influenza, Human/epidemiology , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology , Schizophrenia/etiology , Cohort Studies , Female , Finland , Hospitalization , Hospitals, Psychiatric , Humans , Influenza, Human/complications , Male , Maternal-Fetal Exchange , Pregnancy , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects , Registries , Risk Factors , Schizophrenia/epidemiology , ScotlandABSTRACT
Data from two sources--the Edinburgh Psychiatric Case Register and the psychiatric inpatient records of the Scottish Health Service--were used to compare large populations of first-admission schizophrenics born in winter (January to March) and in summer (June to October). Parallel comparisons were carried out for affective psychoses. Comparison of the months of birth of the Scottish patients with those of the general population indicated that there was a 9% excess of schizophrenic births and a 3% excess of affective births in the first 3 months of the year. In the Edinburgh material, winter-born schizophrenics were more likely than the summer-born to receive a diagnosis of paranoid or schizoaffective schizophrenia and less likely to receive diagnoses other than schizophrenia on readmission, but neither of these differences emerged in the much larger Scottish material. There were no differences between winter- and summer-born schizophrenics in age of onset, sex ratio, or prognosis in either data set, nor were any significant differences found between winter- and summer-born affectives. We have therefore failed to demonstrate any convincing differences between winter- and summer-born schizophrenics.
Subject(s)
Schizophrenia/etiology , Seasons , Adolescent , Adult , Affective Disorders, Psychotic/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Male , Patient Readmission , Schizophrenia/epidemiology , Schizophrenia, Paranoid/etiology , ScotlandSubject(s)
Leukemia/epidemiology , Nuclear Reactors , Power Plants , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Humans , Infant , Leukemia, Radiation-Induced/epidemiology , ScotlandSubject(s)
Melanoma/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Middle Aged , ScotlandABSTRACT
An analysis of standardised incidence rates for renal parenchymal tumours over a 14-year period in Scotland demonstrated a significant increase in disease incidence for males but not females. Reasons are presented to support the contention that this increase is in part real.
Subject(s)
Kidney Neoplasms/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Female , Humans , Kidney Neoplasms/classification , Male , Middle Aged , Scotland , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
Analysis of cancer registration survival data, together with a review of published clinical and pathological studies, strongly suggests that cancer of the prostate occurring before the age of 55 has a worse survival prospect than at ages up to 74. The likely reasons appear to be a higher degree of malignancy of tumours in younger men and, particularly, late diagnosis from failure to suspect the disease in this age group. This suggests that routine clinical examination of the prostate should be carried out as soon as feasible after the age of 40.
Subject(s)
Prostatic Neoplasms/mortality , Age Factors , Aged , England , Finland , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Prognosis , Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology , Scotland , United States , WalesSubject(s)
Leukemia/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Humans , Infant , Leukemia, Lymphoid/epidemiology , Leukemia, Myeloid/epidemiology , ScotlandSubject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/mortality , Aged , Female , Global Health , Humans , Life Expectancy , Middle Aged , Registries , ScotlandSubject(s)
Autopsy , Death Certificates , Communication , Humans , Medical Records/standards , Medical Staff, Hospital , ScotlandABSTRACT
An examination of Scottish cancer registration data over two five-year periods (1968-72, and 1973-77) shows a rise of about 1 1/2 times in incidence of acute myeloid leukaemia between the two periods. This finding is similar to that reported earlier in Lancashire. The increase has occurred at all ages, in all social classes, and in all parts of the country. Reasons why this increase is partially real are given.
Subject(s)
Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/epidemiology , Leukemia, Myeloid/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Registries , ScotlandABSTRACT
There is considerable difficulty in providing clinicians with statistics relating to their work which are both relevant in content and suitable in style. As a contribution towards the solution of the problem for psychiatrists, a new type of statistical feedback, the Hospital/National Comparison Tables, has been produced in Scotland. In these tables the work of individual hospitals is compared with the work of all other hospitals of the same type. These are critically examined, together with examples of analyses showing the uses to which the data can be put.
