CASE STUDY-Outbreaks and Mortality (50 points – Upload in Canvas under Assignments)
Please answer the following questions below based on the case study provided:
The Sacramento area was founded on the prospect of gold. Gold discovery in nearby Coloma brought countless people west with hopes of richer days and better choices for their families. In collaboration with a local merchant Sam Brannan, John Sutter and his family founded the city of Sacramento in 1848. In April of 1849, the population of the area was estimated at 150 people. By October of the same year, the population grew to a whopping 6,000 people (Wiegand, 1998).
In mid-October of 1850 it is reported that a riverboat named the “New World” arrived in the area with a single passenger carrying the deadly cholera disease. As a result of exposure to cholera, reports indicated that within three weeks 800 people died of the disease. Many of those that perished are buried in a common grave located at the Old City Cemetery located at 1000 Broadway Street in Sacramento. Approximately 80 physicians were working during the time of the cholera outbreak, and 17 died from cholera within a year after initial exposure (Cholera Epidemic Memorial, Old City Cemetery; Old City Cemetery, History).
Cited Works:
Cholera Epidemic Memorial, Old City Cemetery. Retrieved on 10/20/2021 from https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMNDA7_Cholera_Epidemic_Memorial_Old_City_Cemetery_Sacramento_CA
Old City Cemetery, History. Retrieved on 10/20/2021 from https://historicoldcitycemetery.org/history/
Wiegand, S. (1998, January 18) Sacramento was gateway to gold. Retrieved on January 10, 2018 from http://www.calgoldrush.com/part1/01sacto.html
Answer the following 6 questions (show your calculations. Add space as needed):
1. The above case study is an example of what type of outbreak?
Make sure to include aspects of how exposure occurred, description of whether it is epidemic, pandemic, or endemic, type of exposure etc. (HINT: How is cholera spread?)
2. What is the cause-specific mortality rate due to cholera for the residents of Sacramento in 1850 per 100 population?
*assume the population given in October 1849 to have remained the same through the year of 1850.
3. What is the cause-specific mortality rate from cholera for the physicians during the year after exposure per 100 population?
* assume the population given in October 1849 to have remained the same through the year of 1850.
4. If there were a total of 1500 deaths in October and November of 1850, what is the proportionate mortality % for cholera?
5. If 700 people had cholera during December of 1850, and of those 100 died from the disease during the month of December, what is the case-fatality rate for the disease?
6. Could the cause-specific mortality rate for cholera amongst physicians be used as a measure of disease risk for physicians? Why or why not? What are the three conditions of when a mortality rate can be used as a measure of risk for getting a disease? What information do we need to have about physicians in order to answer this question?
