1. Question: How is mortality expressed in quantitative terms?

Answer: Mortality is expressed in quantitative terms through

various measures such as mortality rates, case fatality rates, and
proportionate mortality.

2. Question: What are some types of mortality rates?

Answer: Some types of mortality rates include the annual
death rate or mortality rate from all causes, age-specific
mortality rates, disease-specific mortality rates, and cause-
specific mortality rates.

3. Question: How can mortality rates be used as measures of

disease severity?
Answer: Mortality rates can serve as measures of disease
severity by indicating the number of deaths attributed to a
specific disease within a population. Higher mortality rates
suggest a greater impact and severity of the disease.

4. Question: What is the significance of studying mortality rates

for different types of cancer?
Answer: Studying mortality rates for different types of cancer
helps identify trends and patterns over time. It allows for
comparisons between geographic areas and subgroups within the
population, which can help in understanding the impact of risk
factors, prevention strategies, and effectiveness of treatments.

5. Question: What are some possible explanations for the decline

in death rates from stomach cancer?
Answer: The precise explanation for the decline in death rates
from stomach cancer is not known. However, it has been
suggested that increased availability of refrigeration, which
decreased the need to smoke food, and improved hygiene
reducing the incidence of H. pylori infection may have
contributed to the decline.

6. Question: How do restrictions on age affect mortality rates?

Answer: Restrictions on age can be applied to calculate age-
specific mortality rates. By focusing on specific age groups, we
can obtain more targeted information about mortality patterns
within those groups.

7. Question: What is an age-specific mortality rate?

Answer: An age-specific mortality rate is a rate that focuses on
a specific age group, such as mortality in children younger than
10 years of age. It provides insights into mortality patterns
within that particular age group.

8. Question: How can mortality rates be restricted to specific

diagnoses?
Answer: Mortality rates can be restricted to specific diagnoses
by calculating disease-specific or cause-specific mortality rates.
This allows for an examination of mortality associated with a
particular disease of interest.

9. Question: How can mortality rates be restricted based on

multiple characteristics?
Answer: Mortality rates can be restricted based on multiple
characteristics by simultaneously applying restrictions, such as
age and cause of death. For example, calculating the mortality
rate from leukemia in children younger than 10 years of age
involves restricting both age and cause of death.
10. Question: What is the significance of specifying time in a
mortality rate?
Answer: Specifying time in a mortality rate is important for
understanding trends in mortality over specific periods. It allows
for comparisons between different time periods and helps
identify changes in mortality patterns.

11. Question: What is the difference between mortality rate and

case fatality rate?
Answer: The mortality rate represents the number of deaths
from a disease within a population at risk. In contrast, the case
fatality rate is the percentage of people diagnosed with a certain
disease who die within a specific time after diagnosis.

12. Question: How is case fatality rate calculated, and what does
it measure?
Answer: The case fatality rate is calculated by dividing the
number of deaths from a specific disease by the number of
individuals diagnosed with that disease and multiplying by 100.
It measures the severity of the disease by indicating the
proportion of diagnosed individuals who die from it.

13. Question: What are the challenges in determining the

numerator of a case fatality rate?
Answer: The challenges in determining the numerator of a
case fatality rate include accurately identifying and attributing
deaths specifically to the disease of interest, distinguishing them
from deaths due to other causes that may be unrelated to the
disease being studied.
14. Question: Can proportionate mortality be used to compare
mortality rates?
Answer: Proportionate mortality can be used to compare the
contribution of different causes of death to the overall mortality
rate. It provides insights into the relative importance of specific
causes of death within a population.

15. Question: What can changes in proportionate mortality

indicate?
Answer: Changes in proportionate mortality can indicate
shifts in the prevalence and impact of specific causes of death
within a population over time. They can help identify emerging
health concerns or the effectiveness of interventions targeting
particular diseases.

16. Question: How can Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) be

calculated?
Answer: Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) can be
calculated by subtracting the age at which a person dies from a
predetermined standard life expectancy. The total YPLL is a
measure of premature mortality and quantifies the potential
years of life lost due to a specific cause of death.

17. Question: What is the purpose of YPLL as a measure of

premature mortality?
Answer: The purpose of YPLL as a measure of premature
mortality is to capture the impact of deaths occurring at younger
ages. It highlights the potential years of life that could have been
lived if premature deaths had been prevented or delayed.
18. Question: What factors should be considered when
interpreting reports that use YPLL?
Answer: When interpreting reports that use YPLL, factors
such as the underlying cause of death, age distribution of the
population, and standard life expectancy used for calculations
should be considered to ensure meaningful comparisons and
accurate assessment of premature mortality.

19. Question: How can mortality data be used to establish

research and resource priorities?
Answer: Mortality data can be used to identify diseases or
conditions with high mortality rates, helping establish research
and resource priorities. It guides public health interventions,
healthcare planning, and allocation of resources to address the
most significant causes of death within a population.

20. Question: When is mortality a good reflection of incidence

and disease risk?
Answer: Mortality is a good reflection of incidence and
disease risk when the disease being studied is severe, lethal, and
has minimal chances of recovery or survival. In such cases,
mortality rates can provide insights into the occurrence and
impact of the disease within a population.

21. Question: How can mortality be a good measure of

incidence for certain diseases?
Answer: Mortality can be a good measure of incidence for
certain diseases when there is a high likelihood of death shortly
after diagnosis, making it challenging to capture incident cases
accurately. In these cases, mortality rates can serve as a proxy
for incidence rates.
22. Question: What factors can influence trends in mortality
rates for specific causes of death?
Answer: Trends in mortality rates for specific causes of death
can be influenced by various factors, including changes in risk
factors, advancements in medical treatments, public health
interventions, lifestyle changes, and improvements in healthcare
access and quality.

23. Question: What is the underlying cause of death, and how is

it determined?
Answer: The underlying cause of death is the disease or injury
that initiated the chain of events leading to death. It is
determined based on the information recorded on the death
certificate, including the immediate cause of death and
contributing factors.

24. Question: How are deaths coded according to the

International Classification of Diseases (ICD)?
Answer: Deaths are coded according to the International
Classification of Diseases (ICD) by assigning specific codes that
represent the underlying cause of death and any contributing
conditions. The ICD provides standardized categories and
terminology for consistent reporting and analysis of mortality
data globally.

25. Question: How can changes in disease definitions impact

reported cases and mortality rates?
Answer: Changes in disease definitions can impact reported
cases and mortality rates by altering diagnostic criteria,
classification systems, or the way specific diseases are identified
or coded. These changes can affect the comparability of data
over time and across different regions.

26. Question: How can mortality data be used to compare

populations over time?
Answer: Mortality data can be used to compare populations
over time by examining changes in mortality rates, identifying
trends, and evaluating the impact of interventions or changes in
risk factors. It helps assess the progress made in reducing
mortality and improving population health.

27. Question: What is the importance of age distribution in

comparing mortality rates between populations?
Answer: Age distribution is important in comparing mortality
rates between populations because the age structure can vary
significantly, affecting the overall mortality rates. Adjusting or
standardizing mortality rates by age allows for more accurate
and meaningful comparisons between different populations.