A Statistical Study of Neuroses From 1954 to 1959 at Neuropsychiatric Clinic in Sarajevo

Abstract

From the material brought forth in this paper one could deduce a general conclusion that the neurasthenic syndrome represents the greatest number of all neuroses, while all other kinds of syndromes are more rare. As regards other individua! syndromes based on our materials, it can be said that hysterical, depressive and purely anxious syndromes with their acute or sub-acute beginnings, have favourable prognosis while neurasthenic ones, phobic and obsessive syndromes show a chronical course and a far greater stubbornness.

As regards general prognosis of neuroses it can be said that it is favourable as patients advance in age and probably increase their ability for adaptation, and all neurotic symptoms disappear gradually losing their acuteness. The data obtained at Neuropsychiatric clinics in Sarajevo illustrate that neuroses are in constant growth and. increase in the course of a few last years and that the first admissions to the clinics of neuroses increased more than twofold from 1948 to 1959, i. e. from 4% to 8,5%.

The average age of patients with neurosis amount to 35,1 years, there being more females than males in every age of life.

The town population and the immigrants form villages into towns represent over two thirds of admitted patients with neuroses, and less than one third falls to village population.

The greatest percentage of patients with neuroses came from the category of economic equilibrium, while there were far fewer in number categories of economic dependence and of economic safety.

If we distribute neuroses according to professions of patients we find that 35% falls to clerks and officials, 17,5% to workmen, and only 5,5% to agrarian population. In those professions where there are approximately even numbers of males and females, women are afflicted with neuroses doubly as much as men, which can be accounted for by the present social status of women who have to cope with regular office duties as well as with household. One cannot escape noticing the high percentage of housewife afflicted by neurosis, amounting to 15,7%,

because of the fact that the whole burden of household economy falls on their shoulders, beside rearing up and educating children.

Classing of patients according to their education: the greatest percentage falls to the illiterates and those having only elementary education, and the smallest percentage to those having University education. This statistical illusion can, however, easily be corrected if we take into account the distribution of education on the population as a whole, in which case it becomes clear that the neuroses are fairly distributed on various categories of education.

As regards matrimonial conditions, our data show that the number of neuroses of married women is for one third bigger than the number of married men, that the number of widows with neuroses equals six times that of males (which can be accounted for as loss of lives of males during the war); and finally that the number of neuroses of divorced women was found to be two and a half times bigger from that of divorced males, which perhaps speaks of greater emotional laxity of married women, as well as of changed mutual relations of males and females in present society.

According to our data, life conditions in childhood have a decisive influence on the development of neuroses. In that respect according to our materials, about, 60% of all neuroses falls to those neuroses caused by psychical trauma in childhood, especially at cross-pointes of transition of one phase of development into another, which all clearly points to the fact of enormous importance of a healthy and a harmonious family life and a correct education in childhood.