[Sampling survey on the frequency of digestive diseases in Algeria].

In order to assess the frequency of digestive diseases like peptic ulcer and gallstone in Algiers, a sampling survey was carried out among 1,515 households, ie 10,486 inhabitants. The diagnosis of these diseases was collected by questioning but it had to be established previously in a health structure. The design of the survey gets both from the backward prevalence study to assess annual prevalence and the prospective study in the past to assess quarterly incidence. Males had almost twice the risk of having an ulcer than females. Females had a risk nearly four times higher to have a gallstone than males. The highest prevalence rate for ulcer (92.3 per 1,000) was observed among males between 55 and 64, while the highest incidence rate was noted among young men between 25 and 34 (5.7 per 1,000). Hospitalization rate for ulcer was 2.8 per 1,000 inhabitants. Females aged between 65 and 74 years had the highest prevalence rate for gallstone (44.8 per 1,000). Females had an increasing risk with increasing age to have a gallstone. Because they are exempt from certain disadvantages of hospital studies, the household surveys can improve the epidemiological understanding of digestive diseases.