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COMMUNITY & PUBLIC HEALTH EXAM 2026
QUESTIONS LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
COMMUNITY & PUBLIC HEALTH EXAM — 250 Practice Questions
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING (Questions 1-30)
1. Which of the following best describes the primary focus of public health nursing?
A. Families and groups.
B. Illness-oriented care.
C. Individuals within the family unit.
D. Promotion of quality of life.
Answer: D. Rationale: Public health nurses provide healthcare to promote quality of life.
Community-based nursing focuses on illness-oriented care for individuals and families. The
key difference between community-based and community-oriented nursing is that
community-based nurses deal primarily with illness-oriented care, whereas community-
oriented/public health nurses provide healthcare to promote quality of life.
2. Which of the following best describes community-based nursing?
A. A philosophy that guides family-centered illness care.
B. Providing care with a focus on the group's needs.
C. Giving care with a focus on the aggregate's needs.
D. A value system in which all clients receive optimal care.
Answer: A. Rationale: Community-based nursing focuses on family-centered illness care to
individuals and families in the community. It is distinct from community-oriented nursing,
which focuses on health promotion and disease prevention for populations.
3. Which of the following best describes community-oriented nursing?
A. Focusing on the provision of care to individuals and families.
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B. Providing care to manage acute or chronic conditions.
C. Giving direct care to ill individuals within their family setting.
D. Having the goal of health promotion and disease prevention.
Answer: D. Rationale: Community-oriented nursing has the goal of preserving, protecting, or
maintaining health to promote quality of life. All nurses may focus on individuals and
families, but community-oriented nursing emphasizes population health.
4. The primary focus of community health nursing is:
A. Individual illness care.
B. Population health and disease prevention.
C. Hospital-based acute care.
D. Primary care clinic management.
Answer: B. Rationale: Community health nursing focuses on the health of entire populations
and communities, not just individuals. The goal is health promotion, disease prevention, and
addressing health disparities at the population level.
5. According to the Institute of Medicine, which of the following is a core function of
public health?
A. Providing direct patient care.
B. Assessment, policy development, and assurance.
C. Managing hospital budgets.
D. Conducting research studies.
Answer: B. Rationale: The three core public health functions are: (1) Assessment -
monitoring and analyzing health data; (2) Policy Development - creating evidence-based
health policies; and (3) Assurance - ensuring services are delivered effectively.
6. A public health nurse is applying the core function of "assessment." Which action
best demonstrates this?
A. Implementing a smoking cessation program.
B. Analyzing local asthma hospitalization rates.
C. Advocating for a new community health center.
D. Evaluating the effectiveness of a vaccination campaign.
Answer: B. Rationale: Assessment involves systematic data collection and analysis of health
status, risks, and resources. Analyzing asthma hospitalization rates is a data-gathering activity
that informs community health planning.
7. Making sure that essential community-oriented health services are available defines
which of the core public health functions?
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A. Policy development.
B. Assessment.
C. Assurance.
D. Scientific knowledge-based care.
Answer: C. Rationale: Assurance is the core public health function that ensures essential
health services are available to all members of the community. Public health is based on
scientific knowledge and includes assessment and policy development as the other core
functions.
8. Which core public health function is being carried out when a nurse collects data and
monitors the health status of a population?
A. Policy development.
B. Assurance.
C. Assessment.
D. Prevention.
Answer: C. Rationale: Assessment involves systematically collecting, analyzing, and making
information available about the health of a community.
9. According to Stanhope and Lancaster, what was the primary reason for the notable
increase in life expectancy since the early 1900s?
A. Advances in surgical techniques.
B. Improved sanitation and public health activities.
C. Increased availability of antibiotics.
D. Development of high-tech medical laboratories.
Answer: B. Rationale: While medical technology has advanced, the vast majority of life-
expectancy gains are attributed to public health improvements like clean water, food safety,
and sanitation.
10. Which of the following is responsible for the dramatic increase in life expectancy
during the twentieth century?
A. Technology increases in the field of medical laboratory research.
B. Advances in surgical techniques and procedures.
C. Sanitation and other public health activities.
D. Improved diagnostic equipment.
Answer: C. Rationale: Public health activities including improved sanitation, clean water,
food safety, and vaccination programs have had the greatest impact on increasing life
expectancy.
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11. Which of the following best describes the primary focus of a public health nurse
(PHN)?
A. Providing care to individuals with chronic illnesses in their homes.
B. Focusing on the health status of an entire population or aggregate.
C. Assisting physicians with clinical procedures in a community clinic.
D. Managing acute care episodes for families in a neighborhood.
Answer: B. Rationale: Public health nursing is population-focused, meaning the "client" is
the community as a whole rather than a single individual.
12. A nurse is investigating how contaminated groundwater in a specific neighborhood
is affecting local health. This is an example of:
A. Community-based nursing.
B. Tertiary prevention.
C. Community-oriented nursing.
D. Individual-focused care.
Answer: C. Rationale: Community-oriented nursing emphasizes the prevention of disease
and the investigation of environmental health problems affecting the community at large.
13. Which of the following best defines community health nursing practice?
A. Focusing care on the individual within the family unit.
B. Providing care in hospitals and acute care settings.
C. Nursing practice aimed at promoting and protecting population health.
D. Care focused only on critically ill patients.
Answer: C. Rationale: Community health nursing practice is aimed at promoting and
protecting the health of populations. It extends beyond individual care to address the health of
communities and aggregates.
14. Public health nursing is distinguished from other specialties by adherence to eight
principles. Which is one of the domains of public health nursing practice?
A. Intuitive assessment skills.
B. Community organization skills.
C. Communication skills.
D. Cultural competency skills.
Answer: D. Rationale: The eight domains of public health nursing practice include: Analytic
assessment skills, policy development and program planning skills, communication skills,
cultural competency skills, community dimensions of practice skills, public health science
skills, financial planning and management skills, and leadership and systems thinking skills.
COMMUNITY & PUBLIC HEALTH EXAM 2026
QUESTIONS LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
COMMUNITY & PUBLIC HEALTH EXAM — 250 Practice Questions
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING (Questions 1-30)
1. Which of the following best describes the primary focus of public health nursing?
A. Families and groups.
B. Illness-oriented care.
C. Individuals within the family unit.
D. Promotion of quality of life.
Answer: D. Rationale: Public health nurses provide healthcare to promote quality of life.
Community-based nursing focuses on illness-oriented care for individuals and families. The
key difference between community-based and community-oriented nursing is that
community-based nurses deal primarily with illness-oriented care, whereas community-
oriented/public health nurses provide healthcare to promote quality of life.
2. Which of the following best describes community-based nursing?
A. A philosophy that guides family-centered illness care.
B. Providing care with a focus on the group's needs.
C. Giving care with a focus on the aggregate's needs.
D. A value system in which all clients receive optimal care.
Answer: A. Rationale: Community-based nursing focuses on family-centered illness care to
individuals and families in the community. It is distinct from community-oriented nursing,
which focuses on health promotion and disease prevention for populations.
3. Which of the following best describes community-oriented nursing?
A. Focusing on the provision of care to individuals and families.
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B. Providing care to manage acute or chronic conditions.
C. Giving direct care to ill individuals within their family setting.
D. Having the goal of health promotion and disease prevention.
Answer: D. Rationale: Community-oriented nursing has the goal of preserving, protecting, or
maintaining health to promote quality of life. All nurses may focus on individuals and
families, but community-oriented nursing emphasizes population health.
4. The primary focus of community health nursing is:
A. Individual illness care.
B. Population health and disease prevention.
C. Hospital-based acute care.
D. Primary care clinic management.
Answer: B. Rationale: Community health nursing focuses on the health of entire populations
and communities, not just individuals. The goal is health promotion, disease prevention, and
addressing health disparities at the population level.
5. According to the Institute of Medicine, which of the following is a core function of
public health?
A. Providing direct patient care.
B. Assessment, policy development, and assurance.
C. Managing hospital budgets.
D. Conducting research studies.
Answer: B. Rationale: The three core public health functions are: (1) Assessment -
monitoring and analyzing health data; (2) Policy Development - creating evidence-based
health policies; and (3) Assurance - ensuring services are delivered effectively.
6. A public health nurse is applying the core function of "assessment." Which action
best demonstrates this?
A. Implementing a smoking cessation program.
B. Analyzing local asthma hospitalization rates.
C. Advocating for a new community health center.
D. Evaluating the effectiveness of a vaccination campaign.
Answer: B. Rationale: Assessment involves systematic data collection and analysis of health
status, risks, and resources. Analyzing asthma hospitalization rates is a data-gathering activity
that informs community health planning.
7. Making sure that essential community-oriented health services are available defines
which of the core public health functions?
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A. Policy development.
B. Assessment.
C. Assurance.
D. Scientific knowledge-based care.
Answer: C. Rationale: Assurance is the core public health function that ensures essential
health services are available to all members of the community. Public health is based on
scientific knowledge and includes assessment and policy development as the other core
functions.
8. Which core public health function is being carried out when a nurse collects data and
monitors the health status of a population?
A. Policy development.
B. Assurance.
C. Assessment.
D. Prevention.
Answer: C. Rationale: Assessment involves systematically collecting, analyzing, and making
information available about the health of a community.
9. According to Stanhope and Lancaster, what was the primary reason for the notable
increase in life expectancy since the early 1900s?
A. Advances in surgical techniques.
B. Improved sanitation and public health activities.
C. Increased availability of antibiotics.
D. Development of high-tech medical laboratories.
Answer: B. Rationale: While medical technology has advanced, the vast majority of life-
expectancy gains are attributed to public health improvements like clean water, food safety,
and sanitation.
10. Which of the following is responsible for the dramatic increase in life expectancy
during the twentieth century?
A. Technology increases in the field of medical laboratory research.
B. Advances in surgical techniques and procedures.
C. Sanitation and other public health activities.
D. Improved diagnostic equipment.
Answer: C. Rationale: Public health activities including improved sanitation, clean water,
food safety, and vaccination programs have had the greatest impact on increasing life
expectancy.
, Page 4 of 63
11. Which of the following best describes the primary focus of a public health nurse
(PHN)?
A. Providing care to individuals with chronic illnesses in their homes.
B. Focusing on the health status of an entire population or aggregate.
C. Assisting physicians with clinical procedures in a community clinic.
D. Managing acute care episodes for families in a neighborhood.
Answer: B. Rationale: Public health nursing is population-focused, meaning the "client" is
the community as a whole rather than a single individual.
12. A nurse is investigating how contaminated groundwater in a specific neighborhood
is affecting local health. This is an example of:
A. Community-based nursing.
B. Tertiary prevention.
C. Community-oriented nursing.
D. Individual-focused care.
Answer: C. Rationale: Community-oriented nursing emphasizes the prevention of disease
and the investigation of environmental health problems affecting the community at large.
13. Which of the following best defines community health nursing practice?
A. Focusing care on the individual within the family unit.
B. Providing care in hospitals and acute care settings.
C. Nursing practice aimed at promoting and protecting population health.
D. Care focused only on critically ill patients.
Answer: C. Rationale: Community health nursing practice is aimed at promoting and
protecting the health of populations. It extends beyond individual care to address the health of
communities and aggregates.
14. Public health nursing is distinguished from other specialties by adherence to eight
principles. Which is one of the domains of public health nursing practice?
A. Intuitive assessment skills.
B. Community organization skills.
C. Communication skills.
D. Cultural competency skills.
Answer: D. Rationale: The eight domains of public health nursing practice include: Analytic
assessment skills, policy development and program planning skills, communication skills,
cultural competency skills, community dimensions of practice skills, public health science
skills, financial planning and management skills, and leadership and systems thinking skills.
