Vital Statistics

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Statistics

• refers to a systematic approach of obtaining, organizing and analyzing numerical facts so that conclusions may be drawn from them

Vital Statistics

• refers to the systematic study of vital events such as births, illnesses, marriages, divorce, separation and deaths
• statistics of disease (morbidity) and death (mortality) indicate the state of health of a community and the success or failure of health work

Use of Vital Statistics

• Indices of the health and illness status of the community
• Serves as the bases for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating community health nursing programs and services

Sources of Data

• Population Census
• Registration of Vital Data
• Health Surveys
• Studies and Researches

Rates

• shows the relationship between a vital event and those persons exposed to the occurence of the said event, within a given area and during a specified unit of time
• it is evident that the person experiencing the event (Numerator) must come from the total population exposed to the risk of the same event (Denominator)

Ratio

• used to describe the relationship between two (2) numerical quantities or measures of events without taking particular considerations to the time or place
• these quantities need not necessarily represent the same entities, although the unit of measure must be the same for both numerator and denominator of the ratio

Crude or General Rates

• referred to the total living population
• must be presumed that the total population was exposed to the risk of occurence of the event

Specified Rate

• the relationship is for a specific population class or group
• limits the occurence of the event to the portion of the population definitely exposed to it

Crude Birth Rate

• measure of one characteristic of the natural growth or increase of a population

Crude Death Rate

• measure of one mortality from all causes which may result in a decrease of population

Infant Mortality Rate

• measures the risk of dying during the 1st year of life
• a good index of the general health condition of a community since it reflects the changes in environment and medical condition of a community

Maternal Mortality Rate

• measures the risk of dying from causes related to pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium
• an index of the obstetrical care need and received by women in a community

Fetal Death Rate

• measures pregnancy wastage
• death of the product of conception occurs prior to its complete expulsion, irrespective of duration of pregnancy

Neonatal Death Rate

• measures the risk of dying during the 1st month of life
• serves as an index of the effects of prenatal care and obstetrical management of the newborn

Specific Death Rate

• describes more accurately the risk of exposure of certain classes of groups to a particular disease
• to understand the forces of mortality, the rates should be made specific provided the data are available for both the population and the event in their specifications
• Specific rates render more comparable and thus reveal the problem of the public health

Incidence Rate

• measures the frequency of occurence of the phenomenon during a given period of time

Prevalence Rate

• measures the proportion of the population which exhibits a particular disease at a particular time
• this can only be determined following a survey of the population concerned, deals with total (new and old) number of cases

Proportionate Mortality (Death Ratios)

• shows the numerical relationships between deaths from all causes (or group of causes), age (or group of age) etc. and the total no. of deaths from all causes in all ages taken together

Adjusted or Standardized Rate

• to render the rates of 2 communities comparable, adjustment for the differences in age, sex, and any other factors which influence vital events have to be made
• Methods:

1. by applying observed specific rates to some standard population
2. by applying specific rates of standard population to corresponding classes or groups of the local population

Case Fatality Ratio

• index of a killing power of a disease and is influenced by incomplete reporting and poor morbidity data

Presentation of Data

The following are most commonly used graphs in presenting data:

1. Line or Curved Graphs - shows peaks, valleys and seasonal trends. Also used to show the trends of birth and death rates over a period of time
2. Bar Graphs - each bar represents or expresses a quantity in terms of rates or percentages of a particular observation like causes of illness and deaths
3. Area Diagram - (Pie Charts) - shows the relative importance of parts of the whole

Functions of the Nurse:

• Collects data
• Tabulates data
• Analyzes and interprets data
• Evaluates data
• Recommends redirection and/or strengthening of specific areas of health programs as needed