Standardization

Question 1

What is standardization in the context of study populations?

Answer 1

A method to make comparisons by adjusting for differences in age or other covariate structures in study populations

Question 2

What are the two types of standardization methods?

Answer 2

Direct adjustment and indirect adjustment

Question 3

What is the primary covariate used for standardization?

Answer 3

Age

Question 4

Fill in the blank: Direct age adjustment answers the question: ‘What would the death rate be in each study population if they both had the same _______ distribution?’

Answer 4

age

Question 5

What is needed to calculate age-adjusted rates using the direct method?

Answer 5

Age-specific rates in each study population and the age structure of a standard population

(meaning the number of people, or proportion of people, in each age category)

Question 6

What is the first step in direct age adjustment?

Answer 6

Step 1: Choose a standard population, often based on census data

Question 7

What is done in the second step of direct age adjustment?

Answer 7

Step 2: Apply each study population’s age-specific mortality/disease rates to the standard population (spilt in to the same age-groups) to calculate the expected number of deaths that would have occurred in the standard population had the study rates been applied to the population sizes of each age group in the standard population.

Question 8

How is the expected number of deaths calculated in direct age adjustment?

Answer 8

By applying age-specific rates to the age categories of the standard population

Question 9

How is the direct age-adjusted rate calculated?

Answer 9

By dividing the expected number of deaths by the total number of persons in the standard population

Take study-specific rates and apply them to the standard population. Calculate expected deaths and divide by total people in standard

Question 10

True or False: Standardization can only be performed using age as a covariate.

Answer 10

False

Question 11

Fill in the blank: Direct age-adjusted rate = Expected # of deaths in the _______ population / Total persons in standard population

Answer 11

standard

Question 12

What is the first step in indirect age adjustment?

Answer 12

Choose a standard population

A standard population is often used to compare mortality or disease rates across different populations.

Question 13

What is done with the age-specific mortality/disease rates in indirect age adjustment?

Answer 13

Step 2: Apply the age-specific mortality/disease rates of the standard population to the age-specific population sizes in the study population to obtain the expected deaths in each stratum/age category

This helps in estimating how many deaths or cases of disease would be expected based on the standard rates.

Question 14

What do you do after calculating expected deaths in each stratum?

Answer 14

Step 3: Add up the total observed number of deaths/disease in the study population and then add up the total number of deaths/disease that would be expected

This step is crucial for determining the Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR).

Question 15

How is the Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) calculated?

Answer 15

SMR = (Observed number of deaths in the study population x 100) / Expected number of deaths in the study population

The SMR provides a ratio that helps to compare the mortality rates between the study and standard populations.

Question 16

What does an SMR of 1 or 100% indicate?

Answer 16

The observed number of deaths is the same as the expected number of deaths

This suggests that the mortality rate in the study population is consistent with the standard population.

Question 17

What does an SMR greater than 1 or 100% indicate?

Answer 17

The observed exceeds the expected

This suggests a higher mortality rate in the study population compared to the standard.

Question 18

What does an SMR less than 1 or 100% indicate?

Answer 18

The observed is less than the expected

This suggests a lower mortality rate in the study population compared to the standard.

Question 19

What is direct standardization?

Answer 19

A method used to compare death rates across different populations by applying age-specific rates to a standard population.

Direct standardization allows for comparisons that account for differences in age distribution among populations.

Question 20

What is indirect standardization?

Answer 20

A method that uses a standard population to calculate expected death rates based on age-specific rates from the study population.

Indirect standardization is particularly useful when age-specific rates are not available.

Question 21

Can direct and indirect standardization be applied to multiple study populations simultaneously?

Answer 21

Yes, both methods can be applied to more than one study population at a time.

For example, death rates for Community A and Community B can be standardized concurrently.

Question 22

Fill in the blank: Both direct and indirect standardization can be done for _______ study populations at a time.

Answer 22

[more than one]

Question 23

True or False: Indirect standardization requires age-specific rates from the study population.

Answer 23

False

Indirect standardization allows for the calculation of expected rates without needing age-specific rates from the study population.

Question 24

What is the purpose of standardization in epidemiology?

Answer 24

To allow for fair comparisons of health data between populations that may have different characteristics, such as age.

Standardization helps to eliminate bias caused by demographic differences.