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A table lists only deaths by age group for two causes, with no population figures and no all-cause total. Which measure can still be calculated?
AYears of potential life lost
BCause-specific mortality rate
CProportionate mortality
DMortality rate ratio
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. Years of potential life lost
1. Years of potential life lost needs only deaths and the ages at which they occurred.
2. Age groups and death counts are exactly what the table supplies, so YPLL can be computed.
3. A cause-specific mortality rate needs a population denominator, which is missing.
4. Proportionate mortality needs deaths from all causes as its denominator, and that total is missing too.
5. A mortality rate ratio needs two rates, so it fails for the same reason as the cause-specific rate.
_Source: CDC Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health Practice (3rd ed., US federal, public domain), Lesson 3 "Measures of Risk", section Definition of years of potential life lost_
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