A community health nurse is calculating the top three causes of death in a county. Which of the following mortality measures should the nurse use to obtain this data?
Proportionate mortality
Crude mortality rate
Cause-specific mortality rate
Case fatality
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A: Proportionate Mortality
Proportionate mortality refers to the proportion of deaths in a specified population over a period of time attributable to different causes. It is expressed as a percentage of the total number of deaths. While this measure can provide insight into the relative importance of different causes of death, it does not give the actual mortality rate for each cause. Therefore, it is not the best measure for identifying the top three causes of death in a county.
Choice B: Crude Mortality Rate
The crude mortality rate is the total number of deaths from all causes per 1,000 or 100,000 population in a given year. This measure provides an overall picture of the mortality level in a population but does not specify the causes of death. It is useful for general mortality trends but not for identifying specific causes of death.
Choice C: Cause-Specific Mortality Rate
The cause-specific mortality rate is the number of deaths from a specific cause per 100,000 population in a given year. This measure is the most appropriate for identifying the top three causes of death because it provides detailed information on the mortality rate for each specific cause. By calculating the cause-specific mortality rates, the nurse can determine which causes are the most significant contributors to mortality in the county.
Choice D: Case Fatality
Case fatality refers to the proportion of individuals diagnosed with a particular disease who die from that disease within a specified period. It is usually expressed as a percentage. While case fatality provides information on the severity of a disease, it does not give the overall mortality rate for the population or help identify the top causes of death.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: "I will not know if I am going to be in the intervention or control group."
This statement indicates a misunderstanding of the nature of a cross-sectional study. Cross-sectional studies involve observing a specific population at a single point in time to gather data on various variables. There are no intervention or control groups in such studies, as they do not involve experimental manipulation or longitudinal follow-up.
Choice B reason: "The study will last for 10 years. You will contact me annually for an interview and blood work."
This statement describes a longitudinal study, not a cross-sectional study. Longitudinal studies involve repeated observations of the same variables over an extended period. Cross-sectional studies, on the other hand, collect data at one specific point in time, making this statement incorrect.
Choice C reason: "You'll need to find other participants like me but who do not have this disease."
This statement suggests a case-control study design, where participants with a specific condition (cases) are compared to those without the condition (controls). Cross-sectional studies do not require such comparisons; they simply collect data from a population at a single point in time to analyze the prevalence of certain characteristics or conditions.
Choice D reason: "The survey will take an hour to complete and then I'll be done."
This statement accurately reflects the nature of a cross-sectional study. These studies typically involve a one-time data collection process, such as a survey or interview, to gather information on various variables. Once the survey is completed, the participant's involvement in the study is finished, making this the correct understanding of a cross-sectional study.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A Reason:
Research indicating that a screening is not warranted at this time and may be harmful aligns with a Grade D recommendation from the USPSTF. Grade D recommendations suggest that the service has no net benefit or that the harms outweigh the benefits, and therefore, it should be discouraged.
Choice B Reason:
A Grade C recommendation from the USPSTF means that the service should be selectively offered or provided to individual patients based on professional judgment and patient preferences. There is at least moderate certainty that the net benefit is small. This means that while there is some benefit, it is not substantial enough to recommend the service for all individuals.
Choice C Reason:
The statement that there is not enough evidence to determine if a screening is helpful or not corresponds to a Grade I (Insufficient) recommendation. This grade indicates that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of the service. More research is needed to make a definitive recommendation.
Choice D Reason:
Research indicating that a screening exam is beneficial aligns with a Grade A or B recommendation. Grade A recommendations suggest high certainty that the net benefit is substantial, while Grade B recommendations suggest high certainty that the net benefit is moderate or there is moderate certainty that the net benefit is moderate to substantial.
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