Characteristics of diabetics as revealed in a general morbidity study

D IABETES mellitus as a public health problem has become more important because of the aging of the population. Its importance in public health is clearly illustrated by a survey conducted in Oxford, Massachusetts, where 71 per cent of the total population, 3,516 persons, had urine tests and blood sugar examinations. This study was initiated with the aid of the State and district medical societies, the State and local boards of health, and the local physicians. The study was conducted by personnel assigned by the United States Public Health Service (1). A total of seventy cases of diabetes was discovered in this study. Forty were previously known. The fact that thirty cases were newly discovered indicates the need for public health endeavor in this field. This particular paper presents a description of diabetic persons reported in a sample population observed from two to five years in the Eastern District of Baltimore. These persons are described with respect to position in the household, age and year of diagnosis, and first symptoms or complaints of illness. Severity of illness, medical care, and amount of disability during observation are also described.