Biostatistics & Study Design USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A researcher compares crude mortality rates between a retirement community (mean age 72, BP 138/82, HR 68) and a nearby university town (mean age 24, BP 118/76, HR 62). The retirement community demonstrates a crude annual mortality rate of 45 per 1,000 residents versus 2 per 1,000 in the university town. Age-adjusted life expectancy data are available. No significant differences in healthcare access exist between populations. Which statistical method most appropriately determines whether this mortality difference persists after accounting for population age structure?
Answer choices
- AAge-standardized mortality comparisonCorrect answer
- BCalculating the positive predictive value of death
- CMatching each death certificate by sex only
- DIncreasing the sample size in the university town
- EUsing a case series instead of population data
- FStratified analysis by blood pressure and heart rate categories
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