Measures of Epidemiology (mortality, infant morality, morbidity, life expectancy)

Question 1

1. Mortality

Answer 1

The number of people within a population which have died in a given year.

Question 2

1. How is Mortality Measured?

Answer 2

The cause + number of deaths in a specific population over a specific time period.

Question 3

1. Why is Mortality data standardised?

Answer 3

Data is standardised to enable comparisons.

Question 4

1. Example of Mortality data standardised

Answer 4

For example: ‘deaths per 100 000 of 20–30-year-olds’ is known as age-standardised.

Question 5

1. Leading cause of death (not-specific)

Answer 5

Cancer (all types combined) is the cause of the highest total number of deaths in Australia.
However, CHD (coronary heart disease) continues to be the leading specific cause of mortality in Australia.

Question 6

1. Leading cause of death (specific)

Answer 6

CHD (coronary heart disease) continues to be the leading specific cause of mortality in Australia.

Question 7

1. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is a type of

Answer 7

Is a type of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

Question 8

2. Morbidity

Answer 8

Morbidity is the level of ill-health in a population.

Question 9

2. What are the 2 types of morbidity data?

Answer 9

Prevalence and Incidence Data

Question 10

2. Prevalence Data

Answer 10

Prevalence is data recording the number of cases of a disease, illness or injury within a population

Question 11

2. Incidence Data

Answer 11

Incidence is data collected on the number of cases of a disease, illness and injury, within a population, for a given time period.

Question 12

2. Australians have

Answer 12

Australians have:
- high life expectancy
- low infant mortality
- decreasing rates of mortality
- However, increased morbidity rates

Question 13

2. Why do Australians have higher morbidity rates?

Answer 13

This is due to earlier detection, advances in medical technology and improved understanding of how to manage chronic diseases.

Question 14

2. Morbidity statistics

Answer 14

• Half of all Australians suffer from a chronic disease (highest among people aged over 65 years; 87% of people in this group reported a chronic disease, while the rate was 35% for people aged under 44.
• Chronic disease is higher among females (52%) than males (48%)

Question 15

2. Morbidity statistics 2

Answer 15

• Those residing in the lowest socioeconomic areas have a slightly higher rate (55%) than those in the highest socioeconomic areas (47%).
• People residing in regional and remote areas have higher rates of chronic disease (54%) compared to their city counterparts (48%).
• Over 23% of all Australians have more than one chronic illness.

Question 16

3. Infant mortality

Answer 16

Infant mortality is data collected on the number of deaths in infants within their first year of life per 1000 live births. Infant mortality can be a good predictor of life expectancy.

Question 17

3. Can infant mortality can be a good predictor of life expectancy?

Answer 17

Yes, infant mortality can be a good predictor of life expectancy.

Question 18

3. Infant mortality statistics

Answer 18

In Australia, infant mortality rates are low and continue to decrease. According to the ABS, the infant death rate in Australia in 2016 was three for every 1000 live births.

Question 19

3. Among who are infant mortality rates higher

Answer 19

Infant mortality rates among Indigenous populations and the socioeconomically disadvantaged are much higher.

Question 20

4. Life expectancy

Answer 20

Life expectancy is the estimated number of years that members of a group within society is predicted to live.

Question 21

4. Life expectancy example

Answer 21

If you were born in 2015 you have a life expectancy of 84.5 years (females) and 80.4 years (males). This can be compared to people born in 1970, who have a life expectancy of 74.4 years (females) and 67.7 years (males).

Question 22

4. Life expectancy statistics

Answer 22

• Citizen’s life expectancy is used to rank counties’ health status (this can vary considerably from one to country to another).
• Health is greatly influenced by sociocultural, socioeconomic and environmental determinants.
  Statistical example: Australians have a high life expectancy compared with people in other countries across the world and it is steadily increasing.

Question 23

Do females have a higher life expectancy than males?

Answer 23

Yes, females enjoy a longer life expectancy than males, although this is narrowing.

Question 24

Sex differences statistic

Answer 24

A male child born between 2012 and 2014 can expect to live to 80.3 years and a female born in the same time period can expect to live to 84.4 years.

Question 25

Who uses these measures?

Answer 25

Data can be collected by various means such as medicare or hospitals.

Question 26

Epidemiology data provides powerful evidence for:

Answer 26

• identifying needs
• prioritising health funding
• health promotion
• implementing health programs to increase health outcomes (eg. screening processes for CVD).
• identify outbreaks of diseases
• monitor groups within society who are at greater risk

Question 27

Can epidemiology measure everything about health status?

Answer 27

Since Epidemiology is quantitative, it provides limited understanding about complex health issues and a person’s quality of life.

Question 28

Epidemiology drawbacks:

Answer 28

• Sociocultural influences are not considered
• Does not identify the reasons behind protective or risk behaviours
• Diseases that are not identified as national health priority areas often receive little analysis or attention.
• An epidemiological study does not recognise factors that may contribute to mortality.
  For example: not considering mental health issues that led to the disease.