Morbidity trends in the medical wards at Groote Schuur Hospital--1971 and 1982.

In 1971, 5 544 patients were admitted to the 261 Department of Medicine beds at Groote Schuur Hospital. During 1982 8 005 patients were admitted although the number of beds remained essentially unchanged. Whites constituted 54,7% of all admissions in 1971 and 39,3% in 1982. The overall mortality rate fell from 14,9% in 1971 to 9,6% in 1982, and the respective autopsy rates from 25,9% to 18,2%. Patterns of morbidity observed in the various population groups differed greatly and changed over the period studied. Comparisons between morbidity patterns in our patients and national mortality patterns showed close parallels within each population group and major differences between the different groups--those those in whites closely resemble patterns in industrialized countries, whereas for the patients of mixed race and black patients they more closely approximate those in developing countries. Attention is drawn to the inadequate growth of medical facilities in relation to population expansion, and to the urgent need for a far-sighted, ambitious, comprehensive, non-discriminatory preventive and curative health service.