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Over 12 months, the prevalence of a non-infectious disease will increase in a population if A - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 17 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 17
Over 12 months, the prevalence of a non-infectious disease will increase in a population if A. the total population increases. B. disease recovery time decreases. C.... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Over 12 months, the prevalence of a non-infectious disease will increase in a population if A - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 17 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
D. the survival time of individuals with the disease increases.
Answer
The prevalence of a non-infectious disease is defined as the total number of existing cases (both new and chronic) in a population at a given time. If the survival time of individuals with the disease increases, it implies that those individuals are living longer with the condition. Consequently, more individuals will be counted as part of the prevalent cases over the 12 months, leading to an increase in the overall prevalence.
In contrast:
- An increase in the total population (A) could lead to higher incidence but does not directly affect prevalence unless accompanied by an increase in cases.
- A decrease in disease recovery time (B) tends to lead to a reduction in prevalence as individuals return to health more quickly.
- A decrease in the incidence rate (C) suggests fewer new cases, which also would lead to a lower prevalence.
Hence, option D is the correct choice as it directly results in a higher count of prevalent cases.