Trends of a Marked Increase in Child and Adolescent Mental Patients at a Regional Public Hospital as One Model Case in Japan : The Case of Yamanashi Prefectural Kita Hospital

Yamanashi Prefectural Kita Hospital, which dates back to November 1953, is the only public psychiatric hospital for adult patients in Yamanashi Prefecture. Even though the hospital is primarily for adult patients, child and adolescent patients have been in attendance from the opening of the hospital. I carried out statistical research on a total of 1,045 child and adolescent patients (20 years of age or under) who came to Kita Hospital during the period 1 April 1956 to 31 March 1997. Symptoms were observed and a final diagnosis made according to "The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders". Making a final diagnosis was another important aim of this research. I investigated the trends shown by patients with regard to age, sex, disease and groupings of disease: from the past through to the present there continue to be a large number of F2 patients (schizophrenia, schizophrenic disorders); the number of F3 patients (affective disorders) remains relatively unchanged; F4 patients (neurotic disorders) have shown a marked increase recently. In conclusion, I make some comments about the problems of remedial education