Mortality Trends in Mental Deficiency Institutions

Longevity and Mortality in Down's Syndrome

“…While these trends are dramatic, comparison of DS with the remainder of the mentally retarded population would be more informative, since death rates are higher for the whole mentally retarded population when compared with the general population. A number of recent studies have demonstrated increased longevity for this group overall (Richards & Sylvester, 1969;Forssman & Akesson, 1970;Balakrishnan & Wolf, 1976;Miller & Eyman, 1978). Figure 2.…”

Autoimmune Thyroiditis in Mental Handicap: Epidemiological Study Based on Thyroid Histology

“…are now living longer. Richards and Sylvester (1969) reported the mortality rate in D.S., excluding young children, followed closely that of the general population until the fifth decade when there was a steep rise in mortality Furszyfer, Kurland, McConahey, Woolner and Elvebach (1972) reported the epidemiological aspects of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Grave's disease in Minnesota over a period of thirty-three years during which 246 cases of Hashimoto's disease and 256 instances of Grave's disease were reported. They found that, per 100,000 population, the incidence of Hashimoto's disease had risen from 6.5 (1935)(1936)(1937)(1938)(1939)(1940)(1941)(1942)(1943)(1944) to 69.0 (1965-1967) but during the same period there had been no change in the incidence of Grave's disease.…”

Current Topic Survival in Down's Syndrome

“…Life expectancy to 50 years was estimated from institutional deaths in Surrey, UK (Richards & Sylvester, 1969), and much later in Japan (Masaki et al, 1981), and from a community survey in Denmark (0ster, Mikkelsen & Nielsen, 1975). Estimates of life expectancy were again very similar, ranging from 35.7-37.8 at age 20; from 27.0-28.6 at age 30; from 18.3-20.0 at age 40; and from 10.6-12.9 at age 50.…”

“…0ster, Mikkelsen & Nielsen (1975) estimated mortality ratios for a whole community: deaths from 1949 to 1959 gave 7.2; deaths from 1960 to 1971 gave 5.5. Richards & Sylvester (1969) calculated institutional deaths in Surrey, UK over 20 years of age, to be five times the normai popuJation, but Deaton (1973) derived much higher estimates from institutions in Texas, USA. Balarajan, Donnan & Adelstein (1982) used all deaths between 1972 and 1978 in Wessex, UK, and derived mortality ratios between 3.5 and 4.7 for ages over 14 years.…”