MORTALITY AMONG PENNHURST CLASS MEMBERS, 1978 TO 1989 - A BRIEF REPORT

Pennhurst Center closed in 1987, and the closure was one of the most i ntensely studied of all de institutionalizations. Because of recent: i nterest in mortality after deinstitutionalization, we examined all dea ths from 1978 to 1989 among the people who had resided at Pennhurst: i n 1978. During the period from 1978 to 1989, every person moved from P ennhurst to a community home. Relocation literature would suggest that this might be a time of high risk of mortality. However, the actual m ortality rates were considerably lower than what would have been expec ted if Pennhurst had remained in operation, even though the stress of relocation was present. Movement to community homes appeared to improv e survival for the Pennhurst people.