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HEALTH SURVEY IN PACIFIC
from 6.1 percent for Elato Island to 84.5 percent for the Yap Islands.
All of the islands in the Marshall Islands district had less than 40
percent positive reactors. The two lowest percentages in this district
were those for Ebon Atoll and Arno Island, 3.2 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively. Most consistency was shown in the Saipan district,
where the percent positive was 36.4 percent for Tinian Island, 42.1
percent for Rota Island. and 55.4 percent for Saipan Island.
The proportion of positive reactors progresses steadily with age
(table 18). The only exception is the Saipan district where the peak
is reached in the 15-to-24-year age group and a slight decline occurs
after the age of H. The percentages for both sexes in each
district are very close. Where substantial differences exist the higher
percentage is for males.
Table 18. Percentage of positive reactions among
tuberculin-tested population by age group and sex
soe
Percent positive
Age group (years)
.
Total
AU ages
,
Saipan
district
Palsu
district
Marshal
Islands
district
46.5
i. 6
60.
19. 2
Male
47.6
H.4
61,2
21
Femsije
43.3
H.8
38.8
16, 2
lL?
Under 5
Stol4
a1
a0
16.3
327
H.3
40.5
15 to 24
Sha
re
65.4
2.9
25 to 44
60,3
40
a§
27.7
45 and over
5a. 9
TLL
76,2
27.7
Shin diseases. Skin diseases are prevalent throughoutthe territory. The low standards of hygiene among the islanders and the
humid, hoc climate of the area are all conducive to these. conditions.
Dermatophytosis is the most comunon skin disease.
The prevalence
rate for the three districts combined was 293.5 per 1,000 inhabitants.
The Saipan district had the highest rate for this disease, 379.9 as
compared with 308.7 for the Marshall Islands and 253.7 for Palau.
Over one-half the population of Tabal, Aur, Faraulep, Satawal,
Rota, Wotje, Lamotrek. and Maloelap had dermatophyrosis. In this
class tinea versicolor is in such common occurrence that it 1s ignored
by the natives. Tinea crucis and tinea circinata are also prevalent.
The prevalence rate for diseases of skin and cellular tissue was 149.2
per 1,000 persons. This group of diseases includes a high proportion
of local skin infections. These include ecthyma, which is especially
OCTOBER 1959
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_ 1217
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