The Lundby study

The Lundby study is a classic psychiatric epidemiological population study conducted in 1947 in Dalby and Bonderups outside Lund. The follow-up examinations during 1957, 1972 and 1997 included those still living in Dalby and Bonderups, those who moved in during 1957 and those who moved out during 1957, 1972 and 1997. The Lundby study has produced data on the occurrence of new cases of psychiatric diseases in the population. The cohort can be used to relate changes in mental health to the individual circumstances and to society from 1947 to 1997. It is also well suited for studying the progression of common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and dementia and mental disorders with long latency (e.g. psychosis). Interview data was supplemented by hospital records, registry data, and information from key people (family members, relatives and healthcare professionals). Loss of participation in the Lundby study has been very low, especially between 1947 and 1972. The Research Council grant funds have been used to digitalise the data. The archive is now kept at the Archives Center South in Lund. Purpose: The main purpose with the first Lundbystudy, performed in 1947, was to do a population study describing all the residents in Dalby and Bonderup (municipalities outside the city of Lund, not known for unusual high prevalence of illness and not geographical isolated) regarding personality traits, psychiatric diseases or and physical diseases. Follow-up studies, both new residents in 1957, remain living and expatriates, were conducted in 1957, 1972 and 1997.