As evidence for the hypothesis on the claim of reduced longevity for left-handers, Coren in 1989 reported data which suggested that left-handers were 1.89 times more likely to report injuries which required medical attention. This left-handed group included both left- and mixed-handed individuals. To clarify the results of his study, we repeated in part Coren's study but defined handedness so that groups of right-, mixed-, and left-handed individuals were considered. In contrast to Coren's data, we found that right- and left-handers did not differ significantly in the frequency with which they reported having experienced accidents with injury and that mixed-handers reported being significantly more likely to have had an injury-accident than either right- or left-handers. These data underscore the need to consider mixed-handedness as a separate group in studies of this type.

Summary: An analysis is presented of all emergency calls made in one year, "out of hours," to local authority mental health social workers as part of a comprehensive psychiatric service in an urban community. Of 212 calls received, more related to men than women, and in both sexes the peak age group was 40 to 49 years; 72% of referrals were in the psychosis or personality disorder diagnostic groups. A minority of cases referred had symptoms of only recent onset, and 70% of all calls related to patients previously known to the local services.