An epidemiologist is analyzing vaccination rates across 5 regions. The rates (in %) are: 68, 74, 70, 82, and 76. She wants to compute the standard deviation to assess disparity. What is the standard deviation, rounded to the nearest tenth?

Sun, 03 May 2026 05:29:19 +0000

How Epidemiologists Analyze Vaccine Disparity Using Standard Deviation: A Numerical Example In public health, understanding how vaccination rates vary across regions is crucial for identifying disparities and informing targeted interventions. Epidemiologists rely on statistical tools like the standard deviation to quantify this variation in coverage. A lower standard deviation indicates more uniform vaccination rates, while a higher value suggests significant differences between regions—highlighting areas where equity efforts are most needed. Consider a recent analysis of vaccination rates across five regions, with percentages: 68%, 74%, 70%, 82%, and 76%. To assess the degree of disparity, one key metric is the standard deviation—a measure of how far individual values deviate from the mean. This article walks through the calculation and explains what the result reveals. ### Step 1: Calculate the Mean (Average)
First, sum all vaccination rates and divide by the number of regions:
68 + 74 + 70 + 82 + 76 = 370
Mean = 370 ÷ 5 = 74%