A nurse is determining the needs of a selected aggregate. Eight percent of the aggregate has diabetes. Which of the following best describes the action that should be taken next to determine if this should be a priority?
a. Ask the American Diabetes Association if 8% is a worrisome rate.
b. Discuss the findings with the head of the public health department.
c. Review the literature to determine the national and state diabetic rate.
d. Determine what the aggregate's diabetic rate has been in the past.
ANS: C
A rate by itself is meaningless unless compared with previous trends (although the instructor or the head of the local public health department may or may not know that particular piece of information) or with state or national norms. The easiest way to find those norms would be to check the literature to determine the typical incidence in a similar environment or community. The literature review could include research reports and statistics that will help determine whether this finding represents a priority for this aggregate.
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