Session 2: “Prevalence Survey” Worksheet

Small Group Session Objectives

You should be able to:

1. Describe how to set about doing a study in which the extent of a

health problem is to be measured.

2. Justify the importance of sound methodological design in

obtaining a valid and precise estimate of prevalence.

3. Analyse and interpret a simple table of prevalence estimates in

the context of needs assessment.
Problem A: Design a Prevalence Survey
Survey 1: Design a survey to measure the prevalence of
diabetes mellitus in Sulaimani residents.

prepare a 5-minute presentation listing up to five important

issues to consider when designing such a survey.
Make a note of any contentious issues or problems that you were
unable to resolve, for discussion in the small group session and/or
clarification by your tutor.
Problem B: Design a Prevalence Survey
Survey 2: Design a survey to measure the prevalence of Mushroom
allergy in Halabja residents.

Prepare a 5-minute presentation listing up to five important issues

to consider when designing such a survey. Make a note of any
contentious issues or problems that you were unable to resolve, for
discussion in the small group session and/or clarification by your
tutor.
 Problem C: Interpretation of Data
The following cross-tabulations of data are derived from a
retrospective data of certain health facility.

Table 1. Results from a random sample of 700 health facility

attendants. They were invited to see their GP to have a
blood sample taken 2 hours after drinking 75g of glucose
having been asked to fast the night before, but some of
them went home without participation (didn’t participate)

Test result
Sex Age Diabetes Mellitus Total
Normal IGT*
New Known
Male 45-49 38 2 4 8 52
  50-54 44 4 4 18 70
Female 45-49 66 2 0 2 70
  50-54 34 2 2 4 42
All 182 10 10 32 234
*
IGT = Impaired Glucose Tolerance (borderline between Normal and DM)

1. Summarise the information in the table to report back to the

Director of Public Health about the prevalence of
diabetes mellitus .
2. Should the analysis have included the non-respondents? Would
you be of the same opinion if the response had been
95%?
 Problem D: Interpretation of Data
The following cross-tabulations of data are derived from a
prevalence studies of diabetes mellitus (DM).

Table 2. Results from a review of diabetic clinic records and

specialist health visitor records to find people with diabetes
(random blood glucose 11.1 mmol/l)

Ethnic Origin
Age South Asian White
Census DM Census DM
16-29 9,438 31 4,619 69
30-44 5,569 130 3,028 87
45-64 3,925 527 4,102 327
>=65 1,121 279 6,324 666
All ages 20,053 967 18,073 1,149

Summarize the information in the table to report the prevalence of DM

in:
- Each ethic groups and in general
- In each age group and in all age groups
- Which age group has lowest and which has the highest
prevalence, and which ethnic group has higher prevalence,
- Why (in your opinion)?
Session 2: “Prevalence Survey” Student Journal

Name ..............................................................................
Group......................

The NHS National Chlamydia Screening Programme offers a

screening test to 15-24 year old sexually active people for
chlamydia, a sexually transmitted infection present
asymptomatically in 8-10% of 15-24 year old men and women. Out
of 200 first-year medical students offered the screening test in
Leicester, 10 provided a sample, none of which were positive for
chlamydia.
a. Explain whether you can assume that first-year medical
students do not have chlamydia, based on these results.

b. In order to increase the number of samples, it is suggested that

2,000 first-year medical students in 10 medical schools similar to
Leicester are offered screening. Assuming the same response
rate, will this give a more reliable estimate of the proportion of
first-year medical students with chlamydia?

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