Study of Latent Chronic Diseases in Advanced-age Groups in a Semi-cold Weather Farm Village (Soehi-mura, Chiisagata-gun, Nagano Prefecture)

Abstract

The author conducted mass urine examination, blood pressure measurement and sun veys on the morbidity and deaths in Soehi village of Nagano Prefecture which is a semi-cold weather farm village and undertook analysis as to the health hazard problem among the groups of advanced age.1. Judging from the population composition in this village, it became clear that females outlived males.2. According to the analysis of death statistics, deaths from cerebral apoplexy were numerous, especially in men this trend was observed in their younger days as well.3. In the morbidity survey, phenomenon that particular causes of death are characteristic of the persons of advanced age was not noted.4. As a result of the mass urine examination, 7.1% of the subjects showed album inuria and the positivity in the groups of advanced age was more in women. In spite of their being hypertensive, the persons with albuminuria who are receiving medical care with the diagnosis of hypertension were exceedingly few in number. On examination for hyperglycosuria and hyperglycemia 12 cases (0.6%) of diabetus mellitus could be detected.5. The results of the mass blood pressure measurement through the analysis of the average systolic blood pressure by ages were that the presence of hypertension in men was earlier in women. This was evidently endorsed also in association with the ages of death from cerebral apoplexy.By means of the above-mentioned analysis on this farm village, a result that irrespective of the presence of latent chronic diseases to a considerable degree in the persons of advanced age there were quite few who were continuing to receive medical consultation and treatment was obtained. For this reason, necessity for attempting a variety of mass examinations was recognized in the management of the health of the advancedge groups.