Question

B. The mean number of deaths due to Malaria in Asia is 595 individuals with a standard deviation of 19 individuals. In the rest of the world not including Africa, the mean number of deaths is 432 individuals with a standard deviation of 37 individuals. Could you statistically compare the variability of deaths in Asia and in the rest of the world not including Africa? If WHO asks you to lead an eradication program, where would you start and why ?

Answer 1

Let's compare the variability of deaths in both the regions:

Coefficient of variation, CV = σ/u

For Asia: CV = 19/595 = 0.032
For rest of the world excluding Africa = 37/432 = 0.0856

We can see that the Coefficient of variation for rest of the world not including Africa is more than the region Asia, hence, it has more variation in its data as compared to the mean value.

If WHO asks to lead an eradication program, I will start from the Asia region as the mean value of the deaths is higher in the region which is 595 deaths due to malaria as compared to rest of the world which is 432 individuals. The asia region also has less variability in the data which means that the deaths are consistent with little variation, hence it needs more attention.