Patient Profile: Inuvik General Hospital and Four Regional Nursing Stations, NWT

A five year retrospective study of the inpatient caseload at Inuvik General Hospital (July 1, 1973-July 1, 1978) and the total caseload at four regional nursing stations (July 1, 1974-July 1, 1979) was undertaken. The 20 most common diagnoses and the 10 most common causes of medical evacuation for Fort Norman, Fort Franklin, Fort Good Hope and Norman Wells are presented. The 50 most common diagnoses in Inuvik are compared to figures for Alberta, 1975. Industrialization of the north causes an increase in the frequency and severity of physical trauma and in the amount of psychological morbidity treated by health professionals.