[Chronic nonspecific lung diseases in the Estonian SSR (author's transl)].

Report on chronic nonspecific lung diseases (CNLD) in the Estonian SSR basing on the data of the ministry of health. The statistical incidence of chronic nonspecific lung diseases has increased from 59.7 new cases per 10 000 inhabitants (1967) to 93.7 in 1974 (100.2 in males and 88.1 in females). This increase is resulting from a real increase of new cases but also from the improvement of diagnostics and better coverage in the degree as tuberculosis has diminished. Cases of tuberculosis among adults decreased to 1/8 and among children to 1/100 of that 20 years ago. Among CNLD the portion of chronic bronchitis amounted to 48%, of chronic bronchitis to 35.9% and bronchial asthma to 16.1%. CNLD is rather frequent among children. In persons older than 40 years CNLD becomes more common, more in males than in females. Not all persons notified with the diagnosis chronic lung disease need treatment. In epidemiological surveys 5.5 to 9.3% of the population corresponded to the definition of chronic airway disease. A systematic dispensary care of CNLD is going to be organised since 1969. It is the task of all therapeutists in the medical districts. More and more the tuberculosis clinics are integrated into this system.