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An epidemiological study of hysteria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

K. C. Dube  and
Narender Kumar
K. C. Dube
Affiliation:
Mental Hospital, Agra, India
Narender Kumar
Affiliation:
Mental Hospital, Agra, India
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Summary

In a comprehensive epidemiological study conducted by a census survey in a population of 29,468 individuals in the Agra region of Uttar Pradesh, northern India, 261 cases of conversion symptoms in the form of hysterical fits were detected constituting a prevalence rate of 8.9 per thousand (Dube, 1970). The study population consisted of residents in urban, semi-rural and rural areas. The prevalence rate was significantly higher in urban than in rural areas. Females constituted 96.1% of all cases of hysteria. The highest incidence rate was in the age group 15–24 years. The role of caste, marital status and educational level, found to be associated with the occurrence of symptoms, has been discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 6 , Issue 4 , October 1974 , pp. 401 - 405
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

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References

Dube, K.C. (1970) A study of prevalence and biosocial variables in mental illness in a rural and an urban community in Uttar Pradesh, India. Acta psychiat. scand. 46, 327.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farley, J., Woodruff, R.A. & Guze, S.B. (1968) The prevalence of hysteria and conversion symptoms. Br. J. Psychiat. 114, 1121.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed