The correct option to complete the sentence "In West Africa the .... of sickle cell is about 25 percent" is
B. incidence.
Step-by-Step Explanation:
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Understanding the Context: The sentence discusses a statistical measure related to sickle cell disease in West Africa. We need a word that accurately describes the frequency or occurrence of this disease in the population.
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Defining the Options:
- A. incident: This term refers to a specific event or occurrence, often implying something that happens unexpectedly or is noteworthy. It does not convey a statistical measure or frequency.
- B. incidence: This term refers to the rate or frequency of new cases of a disease in a specific population over a certain period. It is the correct term to use when discussing how common a disease is within a population.
- C. accident: This word refers to an unplanned event that results in damage or injury. It is not relevant in the context of discussing disease prevalence.
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D. accidence: This term is rarely used in modern English and refers to grammatical accidents or irregularities. It does not apply to the context of disease prevalence.
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Why Option B is Correct:
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The term "incidence" is specifically used in epidemiology to describe how many new cases of a disease occur in a population during a specific time frame. In this case, saying "the incidence of sickle cell is about 25 percent" means that 25 percent of the population in West Africa is affected by sickle cell disease.
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Why the Other Options are Incorrect:
- A. incident: Using "incident" would imply a singular event rather than a statistical measure, which does not fit the context of discussing disease prevalence.
- C. accident: This option is completely unrelated to the topic of disease and would not make sense in the context of the sentence.
- D. accidence: This term is not relevant to the discussion of health or disease and is not commonly used in this context.
Common Pitfalls:
- Confusing "incidence" with "incident" is a common mistake. Remember that "incidence" relates to rates and statistics, while "incident" refers to specific events.
- Misunderstanding the context of the sentence can lead to selecting an irrelevant option. Always consider what the sentence is trying to convey.
Revision Summary:
- Incidence refers to the frequency of new cases of a disease in a population.
- Incident refers to a specific event and is not suitable for statistical contexts.
- Accident and accidence are unrelated to disease prevalence.
- Always choose terms that accurately reflect the statistical or contextual meaning in health-related discussions.