In an occupational cohort of miners, 48 deaths from respiratory tuberculosis occurred during the observation period, whereas applying national age-specific TB mortality rates to the cohort's age structure gives 30 expected deaths. The standardized mortality ratio is:

• A 62.5
• B 78
• C 130
• D 160 ✓

Explanation

The SMR is calculated as observed deaths divided by expected deaths, multiplied by 100. Here 48 divided by 30 equals 1.6, giving an SMR of 160, meaning the cohort experienced 60 percent excess mortality compared with the general population after adjusting for age. An option like 62.5 comes from inverting the ratio, a common error, and 130 would require 39 expected deaths.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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