Ohio State Epidemiology 5410 Principles of
Epidemiology Guide 2027 – Disease Outbreak Tracking
and Biostatistics
ABSTRACT
This comprehensive question bank has been developed for students preparing for the
Epidemiology 5410 Principles of Epidemiology Final Examination at The Ohio State
University during the 2027 academic year. Epidemiology 5410 is a core course that
provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles, concepts, and procedures of
applied epidemiology and biostatistics. The 200 multiple-choice questions are organized
into eight major content areas aligned with the official course curriculum: Epidemiology
Fundamentals & Historical Context (25 questions), Measures of Disease Frequency &
Risk (30 questions), Study Design & Measures of Association (30 questions), Biostatistics
& Data Summarization (25 questions), Public Health Surveillance (25 questions),
Outbreak Investigation (30 questions), Screening & Diagnostic Testing (20 questions),
and Epidemiologic Study Analysis & Causal Inference (15 questions). Each question
includes a detailed rationale emphasizing epidemiologic calculations, study design
principles, and practical applications essential for disease surveillance and outbreak
investigation. This resource aligns with the 2026/2027 course objectives and covers key
topics including incidence and prevalence calculations, risk ratios and odds ratios,
epidemic curves, case definitions, sensitivity and specificity, and the steps of an outbreak
investigation .
SECTION A: EPIDEMIOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS & HISTORICAL
CONTEXT (Questions 1-25)
1. What is the best definition of epidemiology?
A) The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states in populations
and the application of this study to control health problems
B) The study of individual patient diagnosis and treatment
,C) The study of laboratory techniques for disease diagnosis
D) The study of hospital administration
Answer: A
Rationale: Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-
related states or events in specified populations and the application of this study to
control health problems . It focuses on populations rather than individuals .
2. What does "distribution" refer to in epidemiology?
A) The frequency and pattern of health events in a population
B) The dissemination of information to public health officials
C) The spread of disease through vectors
D) The administration of vaccines
Answer: A
Rationale: "Distribution" refers to the frequency and pattern of health events in a
population. The terms "distribution" and "determinants" together refer to frequency,
pattern, and causes of health events .
3. What does "determinants" refer to in epidemiology?
A) The frequency of disease occurrence
B) The causes and risk factors that influence disease occurrence
C) The geographic location of disease
D) The time of disease onset
Answer: B
Rationale: "Determinants" refers to the causes and risk factors that influence the
occurrence of disease and other health-related events. Together with distribution, these
terms define the scope of epidemiology .
4. What are the four components of a case definition in epidemiology?
,A) Clinical information, time, place, and person
B) Diagnosis, treatment, outcome, and follow-up
C) Incidence, prevalence, mortality, and morbidity
D) Exposure, disease, risk, and causation
Answer: A
Rationale: The four basic elements of a case definition are: clinical information about
the disease, information about location or place, characteristics about the persons
affected, and specification of time during which the outbreak occurred .
5. Who traced the London cholera epidemic of 1848 to the Broad Street pump?
A) John Graunt
B) William Farr
C) John Snow
D) Richard Doll
Answer: C
Rationale: John Snow, considered the father of epidemiology, traced the London
cholera epidemic of 1848 to the Broad Street water pump. This was a landmark event in
the history of epidemiology .
6. What is descriptive epidemiology concerned with?
A) What, who, when, and where
B) Why and how
C) Treatment and prevention
D) Statistical analysis only
Answer: A
Rationale: Descriptive epidemiology organizes data by time, place, and person (what,
who, when, where). It does not test hypotheses about causes .
, 7. What is analytic epidemiology concerned with?
A) What, who, when, and where
B) Why and how (causes and risk factors)
C) Description of disease patterns only
D) Treatment protocols
Answer: B
Rationale: Analytic epidemiology is concerned with why and how health events occur,
testing hypotheses about associations between exposures and outcomes .
8. What is the primary unit of concern in epidemiology?
A) The individual patient
B) The group or population
C) The hospital
D) The laboratory sample
Answer: B
Rationale: The primary unit of concern in epidemiology is the group or population,
whereas clinical medicine focuses on the individual patient .
9. What is an epidemic?
A) The constant presence of disease at a baseline level
B) The occurrence of disease in excess of normal expectancy
C) The global spread of disease
D) A single case of a rare disease
Answer: B
Rationale: An epidemic refers to an increase in the number of cases of disease above
what is normally expected in a population or area during a given time period .
Epidemiology Guide 2027 – Disease Outbreak Tracking
and Biostatistics
ABSTRACT
This comprehensive question bank has been developed for students preparing for the
Epidemiology 5410 Principles of Epidemiology Final Examination at The Ohio State
University during the 2027 academic year. Epidemiology 5410 is a core course that
provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles, concepts, and procedures of
applied epidemiology and biostatistics. The 200 multiple-choice questions are organized
into eight major content areas aligned with the official course curriculum: Epidemiology
Fundamentals & Historical Context (25 questions), Measures of Disease Frequency &
Risk (30 questions), Study Design & Measures of Association (30 questions), Biostatistics
& Data Summarization (25 questions), Public Health Surveillance (25 questions),
Outbreak Investigation (30 questions), Screening & Diagnostic Testing (20 questions),
and Epidemiologic Study Analysis & Causal Inference (15 questions). Each question
includes a detailed rationale emphasizing epidemiologic calculations, study design
principles, and practical applications essential for disease surveillance and outbreak
investigation. This resource aligns with the 2026/2027 course objectives and covers key
topics including incidence and prevalence calculations, risk ratios and odds ratios,
epidemic curves, case definitions, sensitivity and specificity, and the steps of an outbreak
investigation .
SECTION A: EPIDEMIOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS & HISTORICAL
CONTEXT (Questions 1-25)
1. What is the best definition of epidemiology?
A) The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states in populations
and the application of this study to control health problems
B) The study of individual patient diagnosis and treatment
,C) The study of laboratory techniques for disease diagnosis
D) The study of hospital administration
Answer: A
Rationale: Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-
related states or events in specified populations and the application of this study to
control health problems . It focuses on populations rather than individuals .
2. What does "distribution" refer to in epidemiology?
A) The frequency and pattern of health events in a population
B) The dissemination of information to public health officials
C) The spread of disease through vectors
D) The administration of vaccines
Answer: A
Rationale: "Distribution" refers to the frequency and pattern of health events in a
population. The terms "distribution" and "determinants" together refer to frequency,
pattern, and causes of health events .
3. What does "determinants" refer to in epidemiology?
A) The frequency of disease occurrence
B) The causes and risk factors that influence disease occurrence
C) The geographic location of disease
D) The time of disease onset
Answer: B
Rationale: "Determinants" refers to the causes and risk factors that influence the
occurrence of disease and other health-related events. Together with distribution, these
terms define the scope of epidemiology .
4. What are the four components of a case definition in epidemiology?
,A) Clinical information, time, place, and person
B) Diagnosis, treatment, outcome, and follow-up
C) Incidence, prevalence, mortality, and morbidity
D) Exposure, disease, risk, and causation
Answer: A
Rationale: The four basic elements of a case definition are: clinical information about
the disease, information about location or place, characteristics about the persons
affected, and specification of time during which the outbreak occurred .
5. Who traced the London cholera epidemic of 1848 to the Broad Street pump?
A) John Graunt
B) William Farr
C) John Snow
D) Richard Doll
Answer: C
Rationale: John Snow, considered the father of epidemiology, traced the London
cholera epidemic of 1848 to the Broad Street water pump. This was a landmark event in
the history of epidemiology .
6. What is descriptive epidemiology concerned with?
A) What, who, when, and where
B) Why and how
C) Treatment and prevention
D) Statistical analysis only
Answer: A
Rationale: Descriptive epidemiology organizes data by time, place, and person (what,
who, when, where). It does not test hypotheses about causes .
, 7. What is analytic epidemiology concerned with?
A) What, who, when, and where
B) Why and how (causes and risk factors)
C) Description of disease patterns only
D) Treatment protocols
Answer: B
Rationale: Analytic epidemiology is concerned with why and how health events occur,
testing hypotheses about associations between exposures and outcomes .
8. What is the primary unit of concern in epidemiology?
A) The individual patient
B) The group or population
C) The hospital
D) The laboratory sample
Answer: B
Rationale: The primary unit of concern in epidemiology is the group or population,
whereas clinical medicine focuses on the individual patient .
9. What is an epidemic?
A) The constant presence of disease at a baseline level
B) The occurrence of disease in excess of normal expectancy
C) The global spread of disease
D) A single case of a rare disease
Answer: B
Rationale: An epidemic refers to an increase in the number of cases of disease above
what is normally expected in a population or area during a given time period .
