Which is an example of a vital statistic?

• A. Incidence rate of cancer
• B. Prevalence rate of heart disease
• C. Infant mortality rate
• D. Morbidity rate from heart attack

Answer: (C)

Vital statistics come from the recording of life events in a population, typically births and deaths, through civil registration systems. They include measures like birth rates, mortality rates, life expectancy, and infant mortality. An example of a vital statistic is the infant mortality rate—the number of infants who die before their first birthday per 1,000 live births in a given year. This indicator is foundational in public health because it reflects access to prenatal and perinatal care, maternal health, nutrition, immunization, and broader social conditions, and it is routinely tracked through vital records. The other options come from disease surveillance or health surveys rather than life-event data, so they are not classified as vital statistics, even though they’re important health metrics.