MCQ on Health and Death Statistics

🟢 Easy Level (1–20)

1. What does IMR stand for in health statistics?
   a) Instant Mortality Rate
   b) Infant Mortality Rate ✔️
   c) Internal Mortality Ratio
   d) International Medical Report
   Explanation: IMR refers to the number of infant deaths per 1000 live births in a year.
2. Crude birth rate is calculated using which denominator?
   a) Total deaths
   b) Total mid-year population ✔️
   c) Total births
   d) Number of pregnant women
   Explanation: Crude birth rate = (Number of live births / Mid-year population) × 1000.
3. Which one of the following is a component of vital statistics?
   a) Births ✔️
   b) Migration
   c) Education
   d) Occupation
   Explanation: Vital statistics include births, deaths, marriages, and divorces.
4. The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) is expressed per:
   a) 10,000 live births
   b) 100,000 live births ✔️
   c) 100 live births
   d) 1000 pregnancies
   Explanation: MMR = (Maternal deaths / Live births) × 100,000.
5. Life expectancy refers to:
   a) Average years of education
   b) Average number of years a person is expected to live ✔️
   c) Employment duration
   d) Age at marriage
   Explanation: It estimates the average lifespan based on current mortality trends.
6. Which of the following is a measure of mortality?
   a) Crude death rate ✔️
   b) Immunization rate
   c) Literacy rate
   d) Birth weight
   Explanation: Crude death rate measures the total number of deaths per population.
7. The neonatal mortality rate includes deaths in:
   a) First 6 months
   b) First year
   c) First 28 days ✔️
   d) First 7 years
   Explanation: Neonatal mortality refers to deaths within 28 days of birth.
8. The under-five mortality rate includes deaths among children:
   a) Below 6 months
   b) Below 1 year
   c) Below 5 years ✔️
   d) Below 10 years
   Explanation: It measures child mortality under 5 years of age.
9. Which agency is the primary source of global health statistics?
   a) FAO
   b) IMF
   c) WHO ✔️
   d) ILO
   Explanation: The World Health Organization (WHO) provides international health data.
10. Post-neonatal mortality rate refers to deaths occurring:
    a) After 1 year
    b) Between 28 days and 1 year ✔️
    c) Before 28 days
    d) At birth
    Explanation: It measures deaths after the neonatal period but within the first year.
11. The main source of death statistics in India is:
    a) NSSO
    b) Ministry of Home Affairs
    c) Civil Registration System ✔️
    d) NITI Aayog
    Explanation: The Civil Registration System (CRS) records births and deaths officially.
12. The formula for Crude Death Rate is:
    a) (Live births / Total population) × 1000
    b) (Deaths under 5 / Total births) × 1000
    c) (Total deaths / Mid-year population) × 1000 ✔️
    d) (Maternal deaths / Live births) × 1000
    Explanation: CDR uses total deaths and mid-year population.
13. What does DALY stand for?
    a) Daily Adjusted Life Years
    b) Disability Adjusted Life Years ✔️
    c) Defined Age Life Years
    d) Death Allocation Life Years
    Explanation: DALY measures total disease burden.
14. Perinatal mortality includes:
    a) Stillbirths only
    b) Late fetal and early neonatal deaths ✔️
    c) Maternal deaths
    d) Infant deaths only
    Explanation: Perinatal mortality = stillbirths + deaths in the first week of life.
15. Stillbirth is defined as fetal death after how many weeks of gestation?
    a) 10 weeks
    b) 28 weeks ✔️
    c) 12 weeks
    d) 36 weeks
    Explanation: WHO defines stillbirth as fetal death at or after 28 weeks gestation.
16. Health indicators are statistical measures that help in:
    a) Assessing health status of populations ✔️
    b) Predicting weather
    c) Economic forecasting
    d) Traffic control
    Explanation: Health indicators show trends and performance in public health.
17. Cause-specific mortality rate refers to:
    a) Deaths due to a particular disease ✔️
    b) Total deaths
    c) Accidental deaths only
    d) Post-mortem rates
    Explanation: It measures deaths attributable to specific causes.
18. In India, Sample Registration System (SRS) provides:
    a) Reliable birth and death statistics ✔️
    b) Medical prescriptions
    c) Agricultural output
    d) School attendance
    Explanation: SRS gives demographic data for planning health programs.
19. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is the:
    a) Number of pregnant women in a year
    b) Average number of children a woman bears during reproductive years ✔️
    c) Live births in one month
    d) Births in a district
    Explanation: TFR shows average childbearing potential per woman.
20. Which of these is an indicator of premature mortality?
    a) IMR
    b) MMR
    c) YLL (Years of Life Lost) ✔️
    d) GFR
    Explanation: YLL calculates life years lost due to early death.

🟡 Moderate Level (21–40)

21. Case fatality rate measures:
    a) Proportion of deaths among diagnosed cases ✔️
    b) General death rate
    c) Rate of new cases
    d) Hospital admission rate
    Explanation: CFR is a measure of disease severity.
22. A sudden increase in death rate during a natural disaster is called:
    a) Periodic mortality
    b) Excess mortality ✔️
    c) Cause-specific mortality
    d) Adjusted mortality
    Explanation: Excess mortality reflects deaths beyond expected rates.
23. Proportional mortality ratio shows:
    a) Percentage of deaths from specific causes ✔️
    b) Birth rates
    c) Survival ratio
    d) Hospital stay length
    Explanation: PMR = (Cause-specific deaths / Total deaths) × 100.
24. Which rate is preferred for international comparison of mortality?
    a) Crude death rate
    b) Age-standardized mortality rate ✔️
    c) IMR
    d) MMR
    Explanation: Age standardization accounts for population structure differences.
25. A high MMR indicates:
    a) Improved education
    b) Poor maternal health services ✔️
    c) High birth weight
    d) Efficient sanitation
    Explanation: High MMR reflects inadequate care for mothers.
26. Prevalence is useful for assessing:
    a) Disease burden ✔️
    b) Cure rate
    c) New cases
    d) Mortality
    Explanation: Prevalence shows total existing cases.
27. The most sensitive index of community health is:
    a) IMR ✔️
    b) Crude death rate
    c) Birth rate
    d) GFR
    Explanation: IMR reflects socio-economic and healthcare conditions.
28. Health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) considers:
    a) Total years only
    b) Only mortality
    c) Disease-free years ✔️
    d) Disability days
    Explanation: HALE subtracts years with disability from life expectancy.
29. The best indicator of overall development of a country is:
    a) GDP
    b) Life expectancy ✔️
    c) Literacy rate
    d) Trade index
    Explanation: Longer life expectancy reflects better living conditions.
30. Which organization developed the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study?
    a) UNICEF
    b) WHO ✔️
    c) FAO
    d) UNDP
    Explanation: WHO leads the GBD initiative to assess mortality and morbidity globally.
31. A sudden rise in death rate during an epidemic reflects:
    a) Birth decline
    b) High case fatality ✔️
    c) Migration
    d) Improved diagnosis
    Explanation: Indicates the severity and impact of the epidemic.
32. Mortality statistics are crucial for:
    a) Planning health services ✔️
    b) Insurance claims
    c) Agricultural planning
    d) School enrollments
    Explanation: They inform policymakers about health needs.
33. Years Lived with Disability (YLD) measures:
    a) Deaths before age 60
    b) Burden of non-fatal conditions ✔️
    c) Pregnancy rates
    d) Stillbirths
    Explanation: YLD quantifies the impact of illness and disability.
34. Which is a demographic indicator of health?
    a) Oxygen level
    b) Life expectancy ✔️
    c) Literacy rate
    d) Blood group
    Explanation: Life expectancy is a commonly used demographic health indicator.
35. What does GFR stand for in population statistics?
    a) Global Fertility Ratio
    b) General Fertility Rate ✔️
    c) General Family Rate
    d) Growth Fertility Resource
    Explanation: GFR = (Live births / Women aged 15–49) × 1000.
36. Which age group is considered reproductive for calculating fertility rates?
    a) 10–40
    b) 15–49 ✔️
    c) 18–55
    d) 12–44
    Explanation: This is the standard age range for reproductive health statistics.
37. What is the current method of death data collection in India?
    a) Verbal autopsy only
    b) Civil Registration System and SRS ✔️
    c) Only census
    d) Hospital-based
    Explanation: Both CRS and SRS provide death data.
38. Vital statistics are important for:
    a) Budget forecasting
    b) Weather reports
    c) Health planning ✔️
    d) Migration control
    Explanation: They guide healthcare program implementation.
39. Which rate accounts for changes in population size over time?
    a) Crude rate
    b) Specific rate ✔️
    c) Rate ratio
    d) Constant rate
    Explanation: Specific rates like age-specific or cause-specific give more accurate insights.
40. The primary source of global mortality trends is:
    a) NITI Aayog
    b) WHO ✔️
    c) UNESCO
    d) UNHCR
    Explanation: WHO compiles international mortality and health data.

🔴 Hard Level (41–50)

41. Adjusted death rate removes the influence of:
    a) Disease burden
    b) Fertility rate
    c) Age distribution ✔️
    d) GDP
    Explanation: Adjusted rates allow comparisons across populations of different age structures.
42. Which statistical measure is best for long-term disease burden analysis?
    a) IMR
    b) DALY ✔️
    c) GFR
    d) PMR
    Explanation: DALY combines premature death and years lived with disability.
43. ICD coding is used for:
    a) Classifying causes of death ✔️
    b) Issuing death certificates
    c) Genetic disorders
    d) Medical insurance
    Explanation: ICD is the international standard for disease and mortality classification.
44. Which component of DALY is most affected in chronic diseases?
    a) YLL
    b) YLD ✔️
    c) IMR
    d) CFR
    Explanation: Chronic diseases lead to long-term disability, increasing YLD.
45. The proportion of a population dying during a specific period is:
    a) Prevalence
    b) Mortality rate ✔️
    c) Fertility rate
    d) Case rate
    Explanation: Mortality rate tracks the proportion of deaths in a population.
46. Which is a disadvantage of crude rates?
    a) Too specific
    b) Do not consider population composition ✔️
    c) Cannot compare across regions
    d) Always accurate
    Explanation: Crude rates may mislead due to varying population structures.
47. Mortality indicators help identify:
    a) Literacy levels
    b) Health system weaknesses ✔️
    c) Climate zones
    d) Economic policies
    Explanation: High mortality may reflect gaps in healthcare access or quality.
48. Which ratio is most influenced by maternal health services?
    a) CDR
    b) MMR ✔️
    c) IMR
    d) GFR
    Explanation: MMR reflects the effectiveness of maternal care.
49. Which type of mortality data has the least recall bias?
    a) Survey-based
    b) Civil registration ✔️
    c) Verbal autopsy
    d) Hospital-based
    Explanation: Official registrations are more reliable and standardized.
50. Which statistical tool is used to predict mortality trends?
    a) TFR
    b) Life table ✔️
    c) SRS
    d) PMR
    Explanation: Life tables help model future mortality and survival.