Biomaterial Database

Epidemics of procedures: growth in admissions to hospital in Western Australia, 1972 to 1977. 1979

L J Opit, and M S Hobbs

Admissions to hospital, associated with procedures, increased by 20% in Western Australia between 1972 and 1977. This increase in hospital-based procedures appeared to be widespread, both in terms of types of procedures and in terms of age groups of patients. For some procedures the increase was so large as to imitate an "epidemic". Manpower data indicate a parallel growth in practising clinical specialists and the increase in admissions to hospitals. Some suggestions are made about this association and possible causal factors.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007902	Length of Stay	The period of confinement of a patient to a hospital or other health facility.	Hospital Stay,Hospital Stays,Stay Length,Stay Lengths,Stay, Hospital,Stays, Hospital
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010820	Physicians	Individuals licensed to practice medicine.	Physician
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D003933	Diagnosis	The determination of the nature of a disease or condition, or the distinguishing of one disease or condition from another. Assessment may be made through physical examination, laboratory tests, or the likes. Computerized programs may be used to enhance the decision-making process.	Diagnose,Diagnoses and Examination,Antemortem Diagnosis,Diagnoses and Examinations,Examinations and Diagnoses,Postmortem Diagnosis,Antemortem Diagnoses,Diagnoses,Diagnoses, Antemortem,Diagnoses, Postmortem,Diagnosis, Antemortem,Diagnosis, Postmortem,Examination and Diagnoses,Postmortem Diagnoses
D005260	Female		Females