Which mortality rate should a public health nurse compare when assessing state mortality to national mortality?

To assess state mortality in comparison to national mortality, the crude mortality rate is the most appropriate measure to use. The crude mortality rate gives the total number of deaths in a population over a specific period, typically expressed per 1,000 or 100,000 individuals. This rate provides a broad snapshot of the overall mortality level in the population and is straightforward to calculate and interpret.

When comparing state and national mortality rates, using the crude rate allows for a more direct comparison as it does not account for the age distribution of the populations. It simply reflects the mortality that occurred within a specific time frame, which is useful for identifying trends over time or differences between geographical areas.

Other rates, such as age-specific or cause-specific mortality rates, focus on specific segments of the population (such as particular age groups) or specific causes of death, which might obscure the broader comparison needed for public health assessments. The standardized mortality rate, while useful for controlling confounding variables such as age, is often more complex and might not provide as clear a picture for a preliminary assessment. Therefore, the crude mortality rate is the right choice for this purpose.