Duration of Illness from Specific Diseases among 9,000 Families, Based on Nation-Wide Periodic Canvasses, 1928-31

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Abstract
Data on the frequency and duration of illness during a 12-month period between 1928 and 1931 were obtained for 8,758 white families in 130 localities in 18 States. Durations within the study year were recorded in 3 ways: (a) Days in bed,(b) days of inability to work or pursue other usual activities (disability), and (c) the total duration of symptoms. Each family was visited at intervals of 2-4 months to obtain the information. The mean duration for illness from all causes was 4.3 days in bed per total case, and 8.5 days in bed per bed case; 51% of the total recorded cases were in bed for 1 or more days. For 13 broad diagnosis groups, the duration in bed per total case of sole diagnosis ranged from 1 day for skin diseases and 1.7 days for minor digestive cases to 9.6 days for the degenerative diseases of old age and 12.2 for the nervous diseases. Of specific diseases, respiratory tuberculosis showed the longest duration in bed per total case. Fortunately, the diseases with the highest incidence, such as the minor respiratory and minor digestive affections, have the shortest av. durations in bed. Their frequent occurrence, however, makes them responsible for a large aggregate number of days in bed yer year. Considering broad diagnosis groups, the nervous diseases, with 39% of the cases of sole diagnosis in bed for 1 or more days, show the longest duration in bed or hospital per bed case, 31.5 days; the minor digestive diseases, with 49% in bed for 1 or more days, show the shortest duration with 3.4 days in bed per bed case. In terms of disability also, the nervous diseases, with 47% causing disability for 1 or more days, show the longest duration of disability, 46.6 disabled days per disabling case; the minor digestive diseases, with 56% causing disability for 1 or more days, show the shortest duration with 5.5 days disabled per disabling case. In total duration of symptoms the degenerative diseases show the longest duration, 109 days within the study year per case of sole diagnosis, and the minor respiratory diseases show the shortest duration of symptoms with 10 days per case. Tables for specific diagnoses give average durations of the different types and distributions of cases according to the durations of the various types.