An Auckland high school health survey

To assess the importance of racial and socio-economic factors on the health of teenagers attending an Auckland High School a full clinical examination was conducted. The socio-economic status of the four major racial groups, European, Maori, Pacific Island Polynesian and Asian was relatively constant and predominantly from Social Classes 4 and 5. The pattern of health in each group was not significantly different between races with the exception of a high incidence of scabies and impetigo among the Maori and Pacific Island Polynesians. These skin infections were possibly related to a significant degree of overcrowding that was found in this group where 21 to 29% of the families had five or more children under 15 years of age in the one house. Dental caries was commoner among Maori teenagers. These findings are in accord with the hypothesis that health differences between races are a reflection of socio-economic factors rather than due to any intrinsic differences in susceptibility to disease.