Question

Now, consider the following age-specific data:

	POPULATION A				POPULATION B
Age	# Deaths	Pop Size		Rate/10,000	# Deaths	Pop Size		Rate/10,000
20-30	400	10,000		400	80	2,000		400
30-40	600	10,000		600	300	5,000		600
40-50	800	10,000		800	800	10,000		800
50-60	1,000	10,000		1,000	1,500	15,000		1,000
60-70	1,200	10,000		1,200	2,400	20,000		1,200

1. Look at the age-specific rates in the table above. Compare the age-specific rates between the two populations? What do you conclude (1pt)?

2.Explain any difference in conclusion when comparing the crude and age-specific rates and discuss briefly the importance of considering age in this instance(2pts)

Answer 1

Question No.1

Age-specific Death rate:

It is the total number of deaths in a specific age group divided by the total population of that particular age group multiply by one lakh. This indicate the mortality rate in particular age group in a particular geographical area.

So, Age specific death rate is a research measure to check the vulnerable group in particular conditions according to geographical area.

We have calculated Age specific Death rate with help of following formula:

Age Specific Death Rate:

(Total Deaths in Particular age period in particular population/ Total population of this age group in particular population and area) X 100000

Popolation A. Population. B

Age-Group	Age specific death rate	Age Group	Age specific death rate
20-30	4000	20-30	4000
30-40	6000	30-40	6000
40-50	8000	40-50	8000
50-60	10000	50-60	10000
60-70	12000	60-70	12000

Comparision and Conclusion:

We can see that in older ages risk weighage is high in Population B for a particular disease. Age specific death rate is same in both two populations A and B. So we can draw a conclusion that risk of mortality is same in both the Populations.

Question No. 2

Crude rates are simple and straight-forward. Crude rate can be obtained by dividing the total number of particular particular event in a period of time by the total number of population and multiply it by any convenient figure like 10000.

If we check in Population A and Population B,the crude rate of Population A is given by,

Crude Death Rate of Population A

=(Total Deaths/ Total Population)X10000

=(4000/50000)X10000

=800

Crude Death Rate of Population B

=(Total Deaths/ Total Population)X10000

=(5080/52000)X10000

=977

So in both population we can check that the overall death rate in population B is high which is around 977 deaths per 10000.

Population B have a greater number of older people and we know age is a strong determinant of death rate. So the weight age of older numbers and deaths is impacting the overall Crude rate and it doesn't take into account possible confounding factors. So the crude rates in the research of disease frequency put unfair and misleading affects. Whereas Age specific death rates draws better conclusion because it concentrate on particular age group so this become easy for the researcher that which is most vulnerable age group which affects all the population. So more emphasis can be given on that particular age group. So consideration of age in crude rate is necessary to Draw better conclusion.