Fifteen years later. A comparison of patients in Danish psychiatric institutions in 1957, 1962, 1967, and 1972.

The census study in 1972, including all Danish psychiatric institutions, was the fourth in a series, the first being performed in 1957. In the 15-year period from 1957 to 1972 the total number of hospitalized psychiatric patients, including day-patients, has been almost unchanged, about 240-260 per 100,000 population. There have, however, been marked changes within the resident population. The hospital prevalence of schizophrenia has gradually decreased from 132 to 97 per 100,000 males and from 140 to 86 per 100,000 females. The decrease concerns all age groups over 35 years and is especially pronounced in females aged 35-54. In young males there has been a remarkable increase during the last 5-year period. In 1957 the schizophrenic patients constituted 62% of the male and 57% of the female patients, compared with 43% and 30%, respectively, of the patients in 1972. The downward trend which was practically linear during the first two 5-year periods slowed down during the third period but was still quite marked for the middle-aged and old groups. The patients with organic disorders (especially senile and cerebrovascular psychoses) and with reactive conditions have increased in absolute numbers as well as in rates per 100,000 population.