Psychoneuroses among first admissions to psychiatric facilities in Ohio: 1958–1961

The increase in psychoneurotic admissions to mental health facilities in the nation as well as the preponderance of such cases in existing community oriented facilities prompted the examination of the socioeconomic characteristics of such patients admitted to the mental health facilities in Ohio.Results showed higher admission rates for: (a) metropolitan residents than nonmetropolitan residents; (b) females than males; (c) whites than nonwhites; (d) females not employed than those of all occupational categories except laborers; (e) laborers followed by managerial and professional workers than any other occupational category; (f) married females than single females, the highest rates, for both sexes, occurring for the divorced and separated. Implications of these findings as they relate to the present community mental health approach are discussed.     

Delayed hepatic CT scanning: increased confidence and improved detection of hepatic metastases

Fifty oncologic patients with suspected hepatic metastases were prospectively evaluated by dynamic sequential hepatic computed tomography (DSHCT) and by delayed iodine hepatic computed tomography (DICT) scanning. DICT scanning was performed 4-6 hours following administration of 60 g of intravenous iodine. Both techniques were evaluated for lesion definition relative to the adjacent hepatic parenchyma and for numbers of metastases detected. Metastases were detected by both techniques in 26 patients. Fifteen patients (58%) had lesions better defined by DICT. DICT scanning detected more metastases in seven of these 15 patients. In eight patients (31%), there was no difference between the two techniques in numbers of masses detected or lesion definition. In three cases (11%), metastases were more confidently identified on the initial or DSHCT scan. DICT scanning, as described, is useful in defining and detecting hepatic metastases, especially where there is questionable hepatic involvement or better quantification of size is necessary.     

Six-month prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders among Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites in Los Angeles

The current prevalence of DSM-III psychiatric disorders was assessed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) as part of a Los Angeles household population survey. The Los Angeles prevalence estimates were compared with sex- and age-adjusted estimates from four other US field sites, all of which were part of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) program. Overall, few significant differences in household population rates were found between Los Angeles and the other ECA sites. Within the Los Angeles household sample, the current prevalence of disorder among Mexican Americans was compared with that among non-Hispanic whites. Non-Hispanic whites had higher rates of drug abuse/dependence than Mexican Americans; the rates among non-Hispanic whites in Los Angeles were also higher than those found at other ECA sites. Mexican Americans displayed higher rates of severe cognitive impairment, a finding that likely reflects ethnic and educational bias in the measurement of cognitive impairment. Another ethnic difference was found only for one specific age and sex group: Mexican-American women 40 years of age or older had strikingly high rates of phobia.