Inflammatory bowel disease of the Faroe Islands, 1981-1988. A prospective epidemiologic study: primary report.

The frequency of inflammatory bowel disease was estimated prospectively in the period 1981 to November 1988 for the 45,000 inhabitants on the Faroe Islands. The mean incidence of ulcerative colitis was 20.3/10(5)/year and of Crohn's disease, 3.6/10(5)/year. The male to female ratio was 1.21. Median age at diagnosis in both conditions was 36 years for women and 41 years for men.