Congenital hip disease in a Cree-Ojibwa population: a retrospective study.

Retrospective study of data from annual surveys and hospital records over 23 years confirmed the 1950 report of a high prevalence of congenital hip disease (CHD) in the Cree-Ojibwa population of Island Lake, Man. Annual ascertainment rates ranged from 35 to 600 cases per 1000 live births; 5-year rates for dislocation or subluxation were the highest reported for any population. The minimally declining rates of CHD may reflect upgrading in criteria for hip abnormality as well as decreasing isolation and increasing outbreeding of the population. The preponderance of females (female:male ratio, 1.90:1) was low compared with that found in other studies. For all diagnoses bilateral hip involvement exceeded unilateral in frequency; laterality differences were not significant when the sexes were studied separately. Function in everyday activities was impaired little.