Observations from New South Wales on the changing incidence of gastric ulcer in Australia

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Further changes in the pattern of gastric ulcer in N.S.W. have occurred in the 20 years since this change was 1st noted, and the prediction of greater incidence in more women at all ages than in men appears confirmed. Interpretation may be made as a sudden environmental change with a new group of women susceptible to gastric ulcer; this alteration is probably due to a single factor, most likely related to a practice created in Australia at the time of the 2nd world war and adopted by or necessarily used by women, and dependent on some aspect of their behavior; it is probably limited by administrative rather than commercial boundaries. No obvious satisfactory explanation exists. Use of cigarettes is not related; other models (nylon and saucepans) are also unsatisfactory. Application of the epidemiologic method may throw light on the obscure pathogenesis of gastric ulcers.