Bulletin Winter 1975

The general pattern of diseases was similar to that of last year. (See Table II below.) Respiratory disorders topped the list of prevalence of conditions diagnosed, followed by diseases of the skin and the digestive system. About one in eight cases, however, were labelled as symptoms or conditions ill-defined. This underscores the importance of the practice of preventive medicine and the need to make available services for continued observation and care to check any possible undesirable developments. Psychosomatic and psycho-social problems continued to be of grave concern to the Health Service personnel because of the limited time they could squeeze out of the busy clinic sessions at moments of need, frequently at short or without prior notice. Altogether 113 students and 224 staff or their dependants were referred for various specialty consultations and 104 hospital admissions recorded for special investigations or treatment during the year. Two separate chest x-ray surveys were carried out as part of the tuberculosis control programme on all incoming students and the general University population. Only one student and one staff were found to require treatment as a result of the two surveys. The total prevalence of known cases of active and non-active pulmonary tuberculosis among the undergraduate student body as at J u n e 1975, was 0.2% (7 cases) and 2.4% (76 cases) respectively. No students, however, have had to interrupt their studies in order to undergo treatment Looking ahead, priorities will be given to the further development of health education and disease prevention programmes. At the same time, every effort will be made to carry on essential health service functions and to uphold an acceptable standard of high quality care. Table I General Utilisation Pattern (Academic Year 1974-75) Health Visits Student (under- graduate) 12,617 Staff 6,180 Staff dependant 3,987 Other 1,095 Total 23,879 Dental Visits Student (under- graduate) 2,818 Staff 1,391 Staff dependant 948 Other 118 Total 5,275 Grand Total 29,154 Table II Student (Undergraduate) Morbidity Pattern No. % Diseases of the Respiratory System 3,681 41.3 Diseases of Skin & Cellular Tissue 993 11.2 Diseases of the Digestive System 710 8.0 Infective & parasitic Diseases 482 5.4 Diseases of the Nervous System & Sense Organs 459 5.2 Accidents, poisonings & violence 328 3.7 Mental, Psychoneurotic & Personality Disorders 264 3.0 Diseases of the Genito-Urinary System 137 1.5 Diseases of the Circulatory System 97 1.1 Diseases of Bones & Organs of Movement 83 0.9 Neoplasm 38 0.4 Diseases of Blood & Blood Forming Organs 28 0.3 Endocrine, Metabolic & Nutritional Diseases 9 0.1 Symptoms & Ill-Defined Conditions 1,594 17.9 Total: 8,903 100.0 16