REVIEW Test Questions All Answered
Correctly 2026 Updated.
epidemiology - Answer -studies the patterns of disease occurrence and the factors
influencing those patterns
-the branch of medicine that deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of
diseases and other factors relating to health.
key aspects of epidemiology - Answer (1) health states and events
(2) distribution
(3) determinants
(4) population
epidemiological surveillance - Answer -reporting aspects of certain "notifiable diseases" (i.e.
HIV, TB)
-doctors, hospitals, and labs must report it to health dept. or CDC
why report? - Answer in order to notice if an outbreak or spike is occurring
to gather info about who the disease targets
to set up clinics if necessary
epidemiology as a public health service - Answer -describe the EXTENT of disease in the
community (frequency, distribution, trends among pop.)
-determine the CAUSE (etiology) of disease (identify risk factors and population subgroups at
greatest risk)
-study the natural history and PROGNOSIS OF disease
-evaluate BOTH existing and new preventative measures, health programs, and policies
-provide a foundation for developing PUBLIC POLICY
primary prevention - Answer -intended to reduce new occurrence
-prevent illness at all by preventing exposure (i.e. via vaccinations)
secondary prevention - Answer -intended to reduce duration and severity
(i.e. through testing/screening)
, tertiary prevention - Answer -intended to reduce complications and disabilities
-provide healthcare (i.e. treatment)
John Snow - Answer -published treatise in 1849 supporting the germ theory and suggesting
contaminated water as a means of transmission
-1854 cholera outbreak shown by this man to be associated with where people got their water
from
incidence - Answer The number of new cases of a disease per population at risk in a given
period of time; usually, new cases per 1000 at-risk people per year.
The number of new cases in a defined population over a defined period of time
new cases/population @ risk x multiplier
proximal causes - Answer genetic and biological factors that affect health
distal causes - Answer social determinants of health which include race, gender,
neighborhood, diet, etc.
why we need epidemiology - Answer (1) identify TRENDS in public health
(2) provide ADVANCE WARNINGS of possible threats to public health
(3) PREVENT ILLNESS and keep people healthy
(4) MAXIMIZE societal benefit, MINIMIZE burden
(5) REDUCE health disparities
tasks that comprise public health - Answer (1) assessment-of a PH issue, risk factors and
correlates, barriers to care/service provision
(2) surveillance
(3) program/intervention-development, eval, impl.
(4) policy development-evaluation and implementation
(5) decision-making--establishing priorities and strategies
count - Answer -simplest and most frequently performed quantitative measure in
epidemiology
-in general, is the number of cases of a disease or other health phenomenon (both new and
existing) over a certain time period