juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) in an urban Black population in. Baltimore, identifying three ... not available for the US population. Based on studies in Africa, .... North American Indians living in British Columbia, Cana- da.8. Race, therefore ...
PUBLIC HEALTH BRIEFS
The Prevalence and Incidence of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis In an Urban Black Population MARC C. HOCHBERG, MD, MPH, MARTHA S. LINET, MD, MPH,
Abstract: We determined the prevalence and incidence of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) in an urban Black population in Baltimore, identifying three cases through review of computerized outpatient encounters and a fourth case by reviewing discharge records at area hospitals. The prevalence of JRA among Blacks, as of December 31, 1980, was estimated as 0.26 per 1,000 (95 per cent confidence interval: 0.07, 0.66), the average annual incidence 6.6 per 100,000 per year (0.8, 23.8) for the years 1979 and 1980. These data suggest that Black race is not associated with significantly increased risk of development of JRA. (Am J Public Health 1983; 73:1202-1203.)
Morbidity from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) has been estimated through prevalence'-6and incidence'I 8 studies performed both within the United States3'4'6'7 and abroad.1"2,5.8 The overall prevalence of JRA is reported to range from 0.16 to 1.1 cases per 1,000 population while the overall incidence of JRA varies from 2.6 to 9.2 new cases per 100,000 per year.9 Race-specific morbidity rates for JRA are not available for the US population. Based on studies in Africa, Baum suggested that the prevalence of JRA might be increased in Blacks.4 Hanson, et. al., however, noted a low frequency of Blacks among patients with JRA seen at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles; only 2 per cent of 604 patients were Black compared to 9 per cent of the overall population of Los Angeles County. '0 We report herein estimates of the point prevalence and average annual incidence of JRA in an urban Black population in Baltimore. Methods The Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Child Care Clinic (CCCC) is a federally funded health care provider which serves an inner-city area of Baltimore comprised of 13 census tracts. All persons under age 21 who live within this area are eligible to receive medical care through the CCCC, and if hospitalized are admitted to the Johns Hopkins Hospital.* The total number of Black persons under age 21 who were registered as of December 31, 1980 was 15,953; 15,186 were age 17 and under. The age-distribution of these *A community wide survey, conducted by the staff of the CCCC during the summer of 1978, showed that approximately 90 per cent of those eligible to receive care were actually enrolled in the CCCC (Drachman R: Personal
communication). From the Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, and the Rheumatology Division, Departments of Medicine and of Pediatrics, JHU School of Medicine. Address reprint requests to Dr. Marc C. Hochberg, c/o Good Samaritan Hospital, 5601 Loch Raven Boulevard, Baltimore, MD, 21239. Dr. Hochberg is a Postdoctoral Fellow, The Arthritis Foundation. This paper, submitted to the Journal September 22, 1982, was revised and accepted for publication December 8, 1982. © 1983 American Journal of Public Health 0090-0036/83 $1.50
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AND EDWARD M.
SILLS, MD
15,186 Blacks is as follows:
