More young people were treated for drug-induced mental problems and more youngsters contracted sexual diseases, new statistics reveal.

The number of AIDS cases also rose, but fewer people died of the illness as the biggest killer on the Island remained heart disease, the figures also show.

Fewer babies were born as the population ages, but the job market appears to be recovering from the recession and wages increased.

More people also bought cars with the roads remaining a dangerous place with more than 1,500 people injured.

Government yesterday released its annual statistical report charting trends in different aspects of Bermuda life over the last five to ten years.

However the most alarming trend was an increase in patients being treated at St. Brendan's Hospital -- due to a rise in the number of young people being referred by doctors due to drug problems.

Kendaree Burgess-Fairn, a spokeswomen for the Bermuda Hospitals Board, said: "Part of the increase in the number of patients is due to an increase in the number of referrals for young people suffering from drug-induced psychosis.'' Most of the young people are aged in their early 20s, added Mrs Burgess-Fairn, who said another reason for the increase was an agreement by insurance companies to pay for lengthier stays at St. Brendan's.

The figures also charted a rise in the number of people aged under 20 getting a sexual disease.

Last night Bermuda's Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Cann said he was concerned by the increase of sexual diseases among young people.

"The trend seems to be that more young people are contracting a sexual disease.

"We are very concerned about young people and sexually transmitted diseases, but I cannot really offer an explanation for the rise.'' According to the figures the number of patient days -- the number of patients multiplied by the number of days each stays -- rose from 5,047 in 1990 to 7,822 in 1995 for inpatients at St. Brendan's.

Over the same period admissions to the hospital rose from 204 to 263 and the occupancy levels increased from just 48 percent to 79 percent.

In 1986 the number of reported sexual diseases -- such as syphilis and herpes -- was 868 with the 20 to 29 age group accounting for 476 of the cases and just 98 affecting the under 20 group.

Total cases fell to 419 in 1995 but 125 were in the under 20 group -- reflecting a steady rise in cases amongst young people. In the 20 to 29 group 193 people were affected in 1995.

From 1985 to 1995 the number of AIDS cases rose from 17 to 48 although the death rate from the virus fell from 39 in 1994 to 22 in 1995.

Bermuda's biggest killer is circulatory diseases -- which include diseases of the heart and circulation.

Out of 502 deaths in 1994, 199 were caused by heart or circulation problems and in 1995 they accounted for 192 of 459 deaths.

The second biggest killer was cancer with violence and accidents causing 23 deaths in 1994 and 16 in 1995.

At King Edward VII Memorial Hospital patient days and occupancy rates decreased from 1988 to 1995 as new medicine and medical techniques reduced the need to stay in hospital.

Elderly care, though, increased with the number of patient days rising -- reflecting Bermuda's aging population.

304 kids born out of wedlock At the end of 1995 Bermuda's population was 61,121 compared to just 18,994 in 1911, but 5,396 people were aged over 65 in 1991 compared to 3,342 in 1971.

Bermuda's birth rate remained almost static from 1985 to 1993 when it reached 909, but it fell to 810 in 1995.

In 1995, 304 children were born out of wedlock, although the number of marriages reached a six-year high in 1995 at 1,004.

On the roads the accident figures remained almost static throughout the ten years -- in 1985 there were 1,461 casualties and in 1995 there were 1,502.

Over the same time the roads also became more congested as the total number of vehicles rose from 43,359 to 48,326 -- of which 21,088 were private cars.

The number of jobs occupied rose from 33,650 in 1992 to 34,133 in 1995 -- more than 1,000 below 1990's high.

Jobs available in retail, wholesale, restaurants and hotels fell from more than 11,600 in 1990 to 10,776 in 1995, out of which 2,269 were non-Bermudian, but unemployment has fallen since the recession years.

REPORT SURVEY SUR