Question:
Among the following, the best indicator of health in a community is
Among the following, the best indicator of health in a community is
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Pick the rate known as the most sensitive index of a community's overall health.
Updated On: Jul 7, 2026
- Maternal mortality rate
- Infant mortality rate
- Life expectancy
- Neonatal mortality rate
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Question.
The question asks for the single best measure of how healthy a community is overall, out of four commonly used health statistics.
Step 2: Key Concept.
A good health indicator for a whole community should react quickly to changes in nutrition, sanitation, maternal care, and general living standards, since these are the things that most affect how well a population is doing.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation.
The infant mortality rate, the number of deaths in children under one year per 1000 live births, is called a sensitive index of a community's health because it mirrors the level of maternal health, nutrition, immunization coverage, sanitation, and access to medical care all at once. It changes quickly when any of these improve or worsen.
The maternal mortality rate reflects mainly the safety of pregnancy and childbirth care, which is only one part of overall community health, not the whole picture.
Life expectancy is a useful long-term measure, but it changes slowly over years and is affected by many factors beyond just current health services, so it reacts too slowly to be the most sensitive marker.
The neonatal mortality rate, deaths in the first 28 days of life, mostly reflects the quality of care around birth and the newborn period, again only a slice of the bigger picture that infant mortality covers.
Step 4: Final Answer.
Because it responds fast to broad changes in community well-being, the infant mortality rate is considered the best indicator of health in a community.
The question asks for the single best measure of how healthy a community is overall, out of four commonly used health statistics.
Step 2: Key Concept.
A good health indicator for a whole community should react quickly to changes in nutrition, sanitation, maternal care, and general living standards, since these are the things that most affect how well a population is doing.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation.
The infant mortality rate, the number of deaths in children under one year per 1000 live births, is called a sensitive index of a community's health because it mirrors the level of maternal health, nutrition, immunization coverage, sanitation, and access to medical care all at once. It changes quickly when any of these improve or worsen.
The maternal mortality rate reflects mainly the safety of pregnancy and childbirth care, which is only one part of overall community health, not the whole picture.
Life expectancy is a useful long-term measure, but it changes slowly over years and is affected by many factors beyond just current health services, so it reacts too slowly to be the most sensitive marker.
The neonatal mortality rate, deaths in the first 28 days of life, mostly reflects the quality of care around birth and the newborn period, again only a slice of the bigger picture that infant mortality covers.
Step 4: Final Answer.
Because it responds fast to broad changes in community well-being, the infant mortality rate is considered the best indicator of health in a community.
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