A cervical cancer screening was conducted in a rural community among 1000 adult population. During the survey it was found that 8 women already diagnosed with cancer of cervix and 12 new cases of cancer of cervix identified. Estimate the prevalence of cancer of cervix in the community.

1. A

   2%

2. B

   3.57%

3. C

   2.14%

4. D

   1.45%

Appeared in: KPSC Staff Nurse - 2021

Explanation

• Prevalence is the measure of all cases (both old and new) of a disease in a population at a specific point in time.
• The formula for prevalence is (Total Cases / Total Population) × 100.
• The total number of cases is the sum of the 8 existing cases and the 12 new cases, which equals 20.
• Applying the formula: (20 cases / 1000 population) × 100 results in a prevalence of 2%.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option B: This is an incorrect calculation. It does not correspond to any standard epidemiological measure based on the data provided.
• Option C: This is an incorrect calculation, likely resulting from a mathematical error during division or multiplication.
• Option D: This is an incorrect calculation. A common error is to calculate incidence (rate of new cases), which would be (12/1000) * 100 = 1.2%. This option is not even close to that value.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Epidemiology: Calculation of Prevalence as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
• Understanding prevalence helps community health nurses assess the total burden of a disease, which is essential for planning and allocating health resources like screening programs and treatment facilities.
• Prevalence data guides public health policy and helps in evaluating the effectiveness of health interventions over time.
• What if? If the question had asked for the incidence of cervical cancer, the nurse would only use the 12 new cases. The calculation would be (12 / 1000) × 100 = 1.2%.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify the specific measure the question asks for, which is 'prevalence'.
• Recall the definition of prevalence: it includes ALL existing cases (both old and new) at a specific point in time.
• Carefully read the stem to find the number of old cases (8 'already diagnosed') and new cases (12 'new cases identified').
• Sum these numbers to find the total number of cases for the prevalence calculation (8 + 12 = 20).
• Identify the total population given in the stem (1000).
• Apply the prevalence formula: (Total Cases / Total Population) × 100.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Epidemiology: Calculation of Prevalence
• Stem keywords: cervical cancer screening, prevalence, adult population, diagnosed cases, new cases
• Lead-in keywords: Estimate
• Clinical cues: The question provides both 'already diagnosed' (old) and 'newly identified' cases, which is a key clue to calculate prevalence, not incidence.

Question ID

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