CHAPTER IV

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF WOMEN

The socio-demographic profile of women admitted to the four Regional Mental Hospitals
at the time of data coJJection is presented below. A total of 1949 case records maintained
by the hospitals were studied. Information was obtained on age, education, occupation,
marital status, family background, religion, type of admission, diagnosis, duration of stay,
reported health problems with a focus on gynaecological problems, treatment provided
incJuding psycho-social rehabilitation and leave of absence granted to women following
treatment.

Profile of Women
Table 2 presents the overall profile of women admitted to mental hospitals in terms of
age, education and duration of stay. The data reveals that women are usually admitted in
their adulthood with a long history of mental illness prior to admission. The mean
current age of women across the four sites was 41 years and mean duration of stay in the
hospital more than 11 years. This indicates that a large majority of women spend their
most productive years in the confines of the hospital. Women had a mean of six years of
formal education indicating that those who accessed the hospital services were mostly
belonging to disadvantaged sections of society.

Table 2: Profile of Women

Characteristics In Years

Mean age at admission 31.57

Mean current age 41.01

Mean duration of stay 11.13

Mean years of formal education 6.0

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Age at Admission and Current Age
Table 3 represents women's age at admission and current age.

. . an dCurrent A,Ke
Tiable 3: AlKe atAdmission
Age atAdmission CurrentAge
Number Percentage� Number Percentage
(n = 1949) (ll = 1949)
Below 12 years 74 3.8 31 1.6

13-18 years 167 8.6 41 2.1

19-30 years 730 37.5 408 20.9

31 -45 years 615 31.5 734 37.7

46-60 years 202 10.4 459 23.6

Above 61 years 161 8.2 275 14.1

Age at Admission and Current Age

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

Below 12 years 13·18 years 19-30 years 31-45 years 46-60 years Above 61 years

j ■ Age at Ad�ission □Current Age J

Out of a total of 1949 women, 12.4 percent were admitted below 18 years of age with 74
being girl children below 12 years. A majority of women (69 percent) were admitted
between 19-45 years, the most youthful and productive years of the life span. More than
8 percent women were admitted after 60 years of age. The current age profile however

• In the tables presented throughout the report, the percentages may not add up to I 00 as the nearest digit
after the decimal point has been rounded off.

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