Question

Briefly state why prevalence may be better than mortality rate as a measure of cardiovascular disease.

Short answer

Prevalence may be a better indicator of the burden of cardiovascular disease in a population as it accounts for all individuals with the condition, living or deceased, unlike mortality rate which only counts the number of deaths due to the disease.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Prevalence

Prevalence refers to the proportion of a population who have a specific characteristic or condition at a specific point in time. In this context, it is the proportion of people in a population who have cardiovascular disease.

Understanding Mortality Rate

Mortality rate, on the other hand, refers to the measure of the number of deaths in general, or due to a specific cause in a population, within a specific time period. In this scenario, it might refer to the deaths due to cardiovascular disease in a specific population within a given time frame.

Comparing Prevalence and Mortality Rate

Making a comparison between prevalence and mortality rate, it can be seen that prevalence of cardiovascular disease would account for both those who have the disease and are living with it, as well as those who may have died from it, while mortality rate only accounts for deaths. Therefore, prevalence could potentially offer a more comprehensive view of the burden of cardiovascular disease in the population.