An Analytical Study on the Disease Pattern of a Rural Population in Korea

하기(夏期) 무의촌진료(無醫村診療)에서 나타난 우리 나라 일부(一部) 농촌주민(農村住民) 의 질병양상(疾病樣相)

This study was made with 1394 clinical records obtained by a mobile charity health team in a rural Korea for 10 days from July 23 to Aug. 1, 1977 to see the disease pattern of the rural population in Korea. The health team consisted of 7 physicians in different clinical departments of the St. Mary's Hospital tried to cover as many as patients in that area by giving full informations and instructions before starting health services. which supposed to minimize the omissions of patients visits in that area. The proportion of each disease as well as its order in terms of the number of patients was reviewed by matching with age and sex distribution of patients, and with the duration of illness (complaints). Major findings obtained in this analysis were as follows; 1. Among 1394 patients, 536 (38.5%) was male and 858(61.5%) was female. As to the age distribution of the patients. those who are in the age group of 10-19 showed the highest proportion of 15.6% and those who are in the age group of 5-9 and 40-49 was the next with the proportion of 15.4% and 15.2% respectively. 2. The most prevalent cause of general morbidity were diseases of digestive system, diseases of nervous system and sensory organs, diseases of respiratory system, and diseases of skin and subcutaneous tissue in order. And their proportions among all patients were 21.8%, 20.7%, 14.5%, and 12.4% in respectively. The order of the diseases ranked by the number of patiens was slightly different in female population from that of total population, i. e. diseases of nervous system and sensory organs was the first. diseases of digestive system was the second, and the diseases of circulatory system was the third. 3. 23.2% of all patients were found to have had symptoms relating to their illness for more or less 5 years, and 18.3%, for more or less 6 months. Looking at the duration of illness by diseases, 28.6% of digestive tract disease patients and had the relating symptoms for about 1 week while 24.3% had had the symptoms for about 5 years, and in diseases of nervous system and and sensory organs, many(33.7%) had had symptoms for relatively long period (more than one year). On the other hand, in diseases of respiratory system, those who had had the relating symptoms for about 1 month was 24.3 % among all patients in this category and those who had had the symptoms for less than 1 week was 32.2%. 4. The duration of illness (complaints) was longer in females than in males and shorter in younger age groups than in older age groups.