A public health nurse is working with a community HIV task force and providing outreach for a high-risk community group. The public health nurse has received a positive HIV test result for one of the community members and successfully linked the individual to care. The public health nurse should identify that which of the following is true about this community member's diagnosis?
The nurse should review the state laws to determine if and how this information should be shared with the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System.
The nurse should recognize this diagnosis as an indication that the outreach program is not successful.
Outside the healthcare team, the nurse should keep this diagnosis confidential.
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A Reason:
The nurse should review the state laws to determine if and how this information should be shared with the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System. This is the correct answer because HIV is a notifiable disease, meaning that cases must be reported to public health authorities to monitor and control the spread of the infection. Each state has specific laws and regulations regarding the reporting of notifiable diseases, and it is crucial for the nurse to be aware of these requirements to ensure compliance and public health safety.
Choice B Reason:
The nurse should recognize this diagnosis as an indication that the outreach program is not successful. This statement is incorrect. A positive diagnosis does not necessarily mean that the outreach program is unsuccessful. On the contrary, identifying and linking individuals to care is a key objective of such programs. The success of the program can be measured by its ability to reach high-risk individuals, provide testing, and ensure they receive appropriate care and support.
Choice C Reason:
Outside the healthcare team, the nurse should keep this diagnosis confidential. While confidentiality is critical in healthcare, the reporting of notifiable diseases like HIV is an exception due to public health concerns. The nurse must balance confidentiality with the legal obligation to report the diagnosis to public health authorities. This ensures that appropriate measures can be taken to prevent further transmission and provide necessary public health interventions.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A Reason:
Posting the analyzed findings on the health department section of the city's website is important for transparency and public awareness. It allows the community to access the information and understand the health issues identified. However, this action alone does not directly address the health issues identified in the assessment. It is more of a communication strategy rather than an intervention.
Choice B Reason:
Educating members of a vulnerable population about available public health services is a crucial step in ensuring that these populations can access the services they need. This action helps in bridging the gap between the health department and the community. However, it is a part of the implementation phase rather than the planning phase. The primary goal of the assessment is to identify issues and plan interventions.
Choice C Reason:
Conducting focus groups with local residents to discuss their usage of public health services is a valuable method for gathering qualitative data and understanding community needs and behaviors. This can provide deeper insights into the issues identified in the assessment. However, like choice B, this is more of a data collection method rather than a direct action plan to address the identified health issues.
Choice D Reason:
Preparing a plan to address a health issue in a specific area of the city is the most direct and actionable step that aligns with the core function of assessment. The purpose of conducting a community health assessment is to identify health issues and develop strategies to address them. This choice involves creating a targeted intervention plan based on the findings, which is the ultimate goal of the assessment process.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A: Prevalence Rate
The prevalence rate measures the total number of cases of a disease or health condition in a population at a specific point in time or over a specified period. It is expressed as a proportion of the population. While useful for understanding the burden of disease, the prevalence rate does not provide information on the number of deaths, making it unsuitable for calculating mortality data.
Choice B: Case Fatality Rate
The case fatality rate (CFR) is the proportion of individuals diagnosed with a particular disease who die from that disease within a specified period. It is expressed as a percentage. While CFR provides insight into the severity of a disease, it does not give the overall number of deaths in a population, nor does it specify the age group affected.
Choice C: Age-Specific Mortality Rate
The age-specific mortality rate is the number of deaths in a specific age group per 100,000 population in that age group over a given period. This measure is ideal for calculating the number of deaths among school-age children, as it provides detailed mortality data specific to that age group. By using this rate, the nurse can accurately determine the mortality rate for school-age children in the county.
Choice D: Cause-Specific Mortality Rate
The cause-specific mortality rate is the number of deaths from a specific cause per 100,000 population in a given year. While this measure is useful for understanding the impact of specific diseases or conditions, it does not provide a comprehensive view of mortality across different age groups. Therefore, it is not the best choice for calculating the overall number of deaths among school-age children.
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