A Study of First Admissions with Alcoholic Psychoses in New York State, 1943-1944

Abstract

The characteristics of first admissions with alcoholic psychoses to all public and private hospitals for mental disease in New York State during the fiscal year ended March 31, 1944, are analyzed. These psychoses are more prevalent among males than females. Admissions with such psychoses to the mental hospitals are more frequent in summer. Male first admissions with alcoholic psychoses are older than the females. Such admissions include a larger percentage with subnormal intelligence than is found among all first admissions with mental disease. Those with low levels of formal education have higher- rates of first admissions with alcoholic psychoses than those with a high-school or college education. Among males the lowest rate of first admissions with alcoholic psychoses occurred among the married. Among [female] [female] the lowest rate occurred among the unmarried. Urban populations have higher rates of first admissions with alcoholic phychoses than rural populations. Negroes have higher rates of such first admissions than whites. The rate of first admission with alcoholic, psychoses declined during both the 1st World War and the 2d World War. This suggests a re- lation between social factors operating in wartime and the prevalence of alcoholic psychoses.