Statement: A large number of people die every year due to drinking polluted water during the summer course of action

• I - The government should make adequate arrangements to provide safe drinking water to all its citizen
• II - The people should be educated about the dangers of drinking polluted water.

1. A

   Only 1 follows

2. B

   Only II follows

3. C

   Either I or II follows

4. D

   Both I and II follows

Appeared in: AIIMS Delhi NO - 2018

Explanation

• The problem is a severe public health crisis (deaths from polluted water) requiring a robust response.
• Course of Action I addresses the root cause by proposing a systemic, long-term solution (providing safe water), which is a primary government responsibility.
• Course of Action II provides a necessary, short-term, and complementary solution by empowering individuals with knowledge to prevent harm.
• The two actions are not mutually exclusive; they work together to form a comprehensive public health strategy, making both valid and necessary.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: This is incorrect because it ignores the immediate need for public awareness. Government projects can take time, and in the interim, people will continue to be at risk without education on preventative measures.
• Option B: This is incorrect because education alone is insufficient if people have no access to a safe water alternative. It places the entire burden of safety on individuals without addressing the fundamental lack of a clean water supply.
• Option C: This is incorrect because the 'Either/Or' logic implies the actions are alternatives, where one would suffice. Given the severity of the problem, both a systemic solution and individual education are required simultaneously for an effective response.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Logical Reasoning: Statement and Course of Action as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
• This question mirrors the dual role of a community health nurse: advocating for policy and infrastructure improvements (like clean water access) while also providing direct health education to the community.
• A nurse would teach families about water-borne diseases (like cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A) and simple purification methods (boiling, chlorination) as an immediate protective measure.
• What if? If the statement mentioned that safe water was available but unused, then Course of Action II (Education) would become the primary and most critical action, while Action I would be less relevant.

How to Approach the Question

• First, analyze the given statement to identify the core problem and its cause. Here, the problem is 'death' and the cause is 'drinking polluted water'.
• Evaluate Course of Action I independently. Ask: Is it a practical and logical solution to the problem? Yes, providing safe water directly solves the issue.
• Evaluate Course of Action II independently. Ask: Is it a practical and logical solution? Yes, education helps mitigate the problem by changing behavior.
• Finally, assess the relationship between the two actions. Are they mutually exclusive or complementary? In this case, they are complementary and address the problem from different angles (systemic and individual).
• Since both actions are valid and work together, the correct answer is that both follow.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Logical Reasoning: Statement and Course of Action
• Stem keywords: polluted water, die, summer
• Lead-in keywords: course of action

Question ID

Q28OtxfUp3bn5MeyZWkeuw

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart B (pp 233-449 of 464) pp. 23-25, 28-30