Seizures in public places in New York City.

The frequency of police aid to persons experiencing seizures in public in New York City in 1977 was examined as an index of uncontrolled seizure disorders, and as a pointer to variations in seizure frequencies by age, sex, and ethnicity. The overall rate of assistance to persons with public seizures was 5.4 per 10,000 person years. For Blacks the rate was more than double that for Whites and "Hispanics" (10, 4.7, and 4 per 10,000 person years, respectively). Males were assisted about 2.5 times more often than females (8.2 vs 3.3 per 10,000 person years). Among Black males, young adults and those of late middle age had the most pronounced excess over White males of the same ages (26.1 and 23.1 vs 7.8 and 4.0, respectively, per 10,000 person years). These variations underscore an unmet need for medical care for seizures that is especially marked in particular ethnic, sex, and age groups.