WGU D222 – Community and
Population Health Exam Questions With
Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales| 2026/2027 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf.
Question 1
A public health nurse is assessing the health of a community. Which
factor is considered a social determinant of health?
A. Genetic mutation
B. Blood type
C. Access to safe and affordable housing
D. Serum sodium level
Rationale: Social determinants of health are conditions in the
environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship,
and age. Housing access and quality can strongly influence exposure to
hazards, chronic disease risk, stress, and overall health. Genetic
characteristics and laboratory values are individual biological factors
rather than social determinants.
Question 2
Which statement best describes population health?
A. The medical care provided to patients in a hospital
B. The health status of one individual patient
,C. The prevention of disease exclusively through vaccination
D. The health outcomes of a group of individuals and the distribution
of those outcomes within the group
Rationale: Population health focuses on the health outcomes of groups
and the factors that influence those outcomes. It considers not only
average health outcomes but also differences in outcomes among
population subgroups. This broader perspective distinguishes population
health from individual clinical care.
Question 3
A community health nurse wants to identify the most common health
problems affecting a county. Which activity would be most appropriate
initially?
A. Begin prescribing preventive medications
B. Conduct a community health assessment
C. Refer all residents for individual physical examinations
D. Implement a health education program immediately
Rationale: A community health assessment systematically collects and
analyzes information about a community's health status, resources,
risks, and needs. Assessment should precede intervention so that
programs address actual community priorities rather than assumptions.
Question 4
Which level of prevention aims to prevent disease or injury before it
occurs?
A. Tertiary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
,C. Primary prevention
D. Rehabilitative prevention
Rationale: Primary prevention seeks to prevent disease or injury before
the condition develops. Examples include immunizations, smoking
prevention, exercise promotion, and use of protective equipment.
Secondary prevention focuses on early detection, while tertiary
prevention limits complications after disease is established.
Question 5
A community clinic offers blood pressure screenings to adults who have
no known history of hypertension. Which level of prevention does this
intervention represent?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Palliative prevention
Rationale: Blood pressure screening is secondary prevention because it
seeks to detect a disease or risk condition at an early stage. Early
identification of hypertension allows treatment and lifestyle
interventions that may prevent complications such as stroke, heart
failure, and kidney disease.
Question 6
Which intervention is an example of tertiary prevention?
A. Childhood immunization
B. Smoking-prevention education
, C. Screening for colorectal cancer
D. Cardiac rehabilitation after a myocardial infarction
Rationale: Tertiary prevention focuses on reducing complications,
disability, and functional impairment after a disease or injury has
occurred. Cardiac rehabilitation helps individuals recover after
myocardial infarction and reduces the risk of further complications.
Question 7
A nurse is evaluating whether a community vaccination campaign was
effective. Which outcome provides the strongest evidence that the
intervention improved population health?
A. Number of posters distributed
B. Number of nurses assigned to the campaign
C. Number of educational sessions offered
D. Reduction in the incidence of the targeted vaccine-preventable
disease
Rationale: Population health interventions should ultimately be
evaluated based on meaningful health outcomes. A reduction in disease
incidence demonstrates an effect on the health problem itself. Counts of
posters, staff, or educational sessions measure activities or outputs
rather than health outcomes.
Question 8
Which term describes the number of new cases of a disease occurring
in a population during a specified period?
A. Prevalence
B. Mortality
Population Health Exam Questions With
Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales| 2026/2027 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf.
Question 1
A public health nurse is assessing the health of a community. Which
factor is considered a social determinant of health?
A. Genetic mutation
B. Blood type
C. Access to safe and affordable housing
D. Serum sodium level
Rationale: Social determinants of health are conditions in the
environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship,
and age. Housing access and quality can strongly influence exposure to
hazards, chronic disease risk, stress, and overall health. Genetic
characteristics and laboratory values are individual biological factors
rather than social determinants.
Question 2
Which statement best describes population health?
A. The medical care provided to patients in a hospital
B. The health status of one individual patient
,C. The prevention of disease exclusively through vaccination
D. The health outcomes of a group of individuals and the distribution
of those outcomes within the group
Rationale: Population health focuses on the health outcomes of groups
and the factors that influence those outcomes. It considers not only
average health outcomes but also differences in outcomes among
population subgroups. This broader perspective distinguishes population
health from individual clinical care.
Question 3
A community health nurse wants to identify the most common health
problems affecting a county. Which activity would be most appropriate
initially?
A. Begin prescribing preventive medications
B. Conduct a community health assessment
C. Refer all residents for individual physical examinations
D. Implement a health education program immediately
Rationale: A community health assessment systematically collects and
analyzes information about a community's health status, resources,
risks, and needs. Assessment should precede intervention so that
programs address actual community priorities rather than assumptions.
Question 4
Which level of prevention aims to prevent disease or injury before it
occurs?
A. Tertiary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
,C. Primary prevention
D. Rehabilitative prevention
Rationale: Primary prevention seeks to prevent disease or injury before
the condition develops. Examples include immunizations, smoking
prevention, exercise promotion, and use of protective equipment.
Secondary prevention focuses on early detection, while tertiary
prevention limits complications after disease is established.
Question 5
A community clinic offers blood pressure screenings to adults who have
no known history of hypertension. Which level of prevention does this
intervention represent?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Palliative prevention
Rationale: Blood pressure screening is secondary prevention because it
seeks to detect a disease or risk condition at an early stage. Early
identification of hypertension allows treatment and lifestyle
interventions that may prevent complications such as stroke, heart
failure, and kidney disease.
Question 6
Which intervention is an example of tertiary prevention?
A. Childhood immunization
B. Smoking-prevention education
, C. Screening for colorectal cancer
D. Cardiac rehabilitation after a myocardial infarction
Rationale: Tertiary prevention focuses on reducing complications,
disability, and functional impairment after a disease or injury has
occurred. Cardiac rehabilitation helps individuals recover after
myocardial infarction and reduces the risk of further complications.
Question 7
A nurse is evaluating whether a community vaccination campaign was
effective. Which outcome provides the strongest evidence that the
intervention improved population health?
A. Number of posters distributed
B. Number of nurses assigned to the campaign
C. Number of educational sessions offered
D. Reduction in the incidence of the targeted vaccine-preventable
disease
Rationale: Population health interventions should ultimately be
evaluated based on meaningful health outcomes. A reduction in disease
incidence demonstrates an effect on the health problem itself. Counts of
posters, staff, or educational sessions measure activities or outputs
rather than health outcomes.
Question 8
Which term describes the number of new cases of a disease occurring
in a population during a specified period?
A. Prevalence
B. Mortality
