In a village with a population of 5000, 50 people have contracted a disease, and 10 of those afflicted have died. What is the case fatality rate among the patients?

1. A

   20%

2. B

   10%

3. C

   15%

4. D

   5%

Appeared in: Raj. CHO -2024

Explanation

• The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) measures the proportion of deaths among confirmed cases of a disease.
• The formula for CFR is: (Number of deaths from the disease / Total number of cases of the disease) × 100.
• In this scenario, there were 10 deaths among 50 people who contracted the disease.
• Calculation: (10 deaths / 50 cases) × 100 = 0.2 × 100 = 20%.
• The total population of 5000 is irrelevant for calculating the case fatality rate, as the denominator is the number of cases, not the total population.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option B: This is an incorrect calculation. It might result from mistakenly using 10% as a simple fraction (1/10) without considering the correct relationship between deaths and cases.
• Option C: This is a mathematically incorrect value based on the provided numbers.
• Option D: This is a mathematically incorrect value based on the provided numbers.

Related Visual

• Visual 1: Flowchart: A simple flowchart showing the steps to calculate Case Fatality Rate: Start -> Identify Number of Deaths -> Identify Number of Cases -> Divide Deaths by Cases -> Multiply by 100 -> Result.
• Visual 2: Infographic: A comparative chart illustrating the difference between Case Fatality Rate (focuses on deaths among cases), Mortality Rate (focuses on deaths in the total population), and Attack Rate (focuses on new cases in the population).

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Knowing Calculation of Case Fatality Rate in epidemiology helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
• Understanding Case Fatality Rate is crucial for nurses in public health to quickly assess the severity of an outbreak and communicate the risk effectively.
• A high CFR (like 20%) signals a dangerous disease, requiring immediate implementation of strict infection control protocols, patient isolation, and allocation of critical care resources.
• Nurses must accurately document cases and outcomes. Confusing CFR with the overall mortality rate (which is 0.2% in this scenario) would lead to a dangerous underestimation of the disease's deadliness and a delayed public health response.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify the specific epidemiological measure the question is asking for, which is the 'case fatality rate'.
• Recall the definition and formula for Case Fatality Rate: (Number of deaths from a disease / Total number of cases of that disease) × 100.
• Carefully read the problem to extract the correct values for the numerator (deaths) and the denominator (cases).
• Identify the number of deaths = 10. Identify the number of cases = 50.
• Note that the total population (5000) is extra information and not needed for this specific calculation. Avoid the common mistake of using the total population as the denominator.
• Perform the calculation: (10 / 50) × 100.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Calculation of Case Fatality Rate in epidemiology.
• Stem keywords: village, population, 5000, contracted a disease, 50 people, died, 10
• Lead-in keywords: What is the case fatality rate

Question ID

QDBqJUub1MrYpr_At_LXOp

Copy ID