Hospital Records as a Source of Morbidity Statistics

Abstract

Comparison of hospital cases of sickness with total cases makes possible interpretation of hospital statistics with less error. In general, distributions of total, hospital, and fatal illness are very different. Total sickness rates are highest under 5 years of age; hospital admission rates are highest for children 5-10, and adults 20 to 40 years of age; and death rates are highest in the oldest age group. Neither hospitalization nor death records show the primary importance of the disease most frequently reported as responsible for all sickness. Tonsillectomies and deliveries (graphs) lead for hospital admissions; heart and other degeneration diseases are leading causes of death. Colds and other affections of the respiratory tract are the most frequent causes of all sickness.