Epi Final Study Guide Questions
and Answers Updated 2026
DescriptiveBEpidemiologyB-
BAnswerBDescriptiveBepidemiologyBisBtheB'who,BwhereBandBwhen'BofBaBhealth-
relatedBevent.BDescriptiveBepidemiologyBdescribesBwhoBisBaffectedBbyBtheBhealth-
relatedBevent,BtheBlocationBofBtheBevent,BandBtheBtimingBofBtheBevent.BDescriptiveBe
pidemiologyBdescribesBtheBpersons,Bplace,BandBtimeBinvolvedBinBtheBhealthBevent,Bal
soBknownBasBtheB'distribution'BofBhealthBandBhealth-relatedBevents.
AnalyticBEpidemiologyB-
BAnswerBAnalyticBepidemiologyBstudiesBtheB'why'BorB'how'BofBhealth-
relatedBevents.BTheBpurposeBofBanalyticBepidemiologyBisBtoBidentifyBtheBcausesBorBri
skBfactorsBforBtheBhealth-
relatedBstateBorBeventB(goodBorBbad)BofBinterest.BAnalyticBepidemiologyBstudiesBtheB
causesBorBriskBfactorsBforBhealth-
relatedBstatesBorBevents,BalsoBknownBasBtheB'determinants'BofBhealthBandBhealthBrel
atedBevents.
AnalyticBepidemiologyBquantifiesBtheBassociationBbetweenBexposuresBandBoutcomesBt
oBdetermineBcausalBrelationships
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBresearchBdesignsBareBobservationalBstudies?B-BAnswerB-
BProspectiveBcohortBstudies
-BCross-sectionalBstudies
-BRetrospectiveBcohortBstudies
TheBWomen'sBHealthBInitiativeBisBanBexampleBofBwhatBtypeBofBresearchBdesign?B-
BAnswerBRandomizedBControlledBTrial
CochraneBreviewsBareBatBtheBtopBofBtheBevidenceBpyramid..B-BAnswerBTrue
,WhichBofBtheBfollowingBtypesBofBresearchBdesignsBisBALWAYSBaBretrospectiveBstudy?B
-BAnswerBCaseBControlBStudy
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBtypesBofBsingleBstudyBdesignsBprovidesBtheBstrongestBlevelBof
BevidenceBtoBdetermineBcauseBandBeffect?B-BAnswerBRandomizedBControllBTrial
TheBBradfordBHillBcriteriaBareBusedBtoBdetermineBdiseaseBcausation.B-BAnswerBTrue
TheBFraminghamBHeartBStudyBisBanBexampleBofBwhatBtypeBofBresearchBdesign?B-
BAnswerBProspectiveBCohortBStudy
twoBtypesBofBexperimentalBdesigns:B-BAnswerBrandomizedBclinicalBtrialsBandBquasi-
experiments.
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBtypesBofBstudyBdesignsBprovidesBtheBlowestBlevelBofBevidenc
e?B-BAnswerBCrossBsectionalBstudy
RandomizedBcontrolledBtrialsBalwaysBevaluateBanBinterventionBandBincludeBaBcomparis
onBgroupB-BAnswerBTrue
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBtypesBofBstudyBdesignsBareBconsideredBtheB"goldBstandard"Bf
orBdeterminingBtheBeffectivenessBofBinterventions?B-BAnswerBRandomizedBClinicalBTrial
ABstudyBofBhumanBmilkBfeedingBofBprematureBinfantsBfindsBthatBtheBoddsBratioBforB
developingBsepsisBduringBtheBinfant'sBhospitalBcourseBwasB0.7BforBtheBinfantBwhoBrec
eivedBhumanBmilk.BThisBfindingBindicatesBthatB-
BAnswerBHumanBmilkBfeedingBreducesBtheBriskBofBsepsis
ABnewBinterventionBisBstudiedBtoBseeBifBitBisBassistedBwithBaBreductionBinBpressureB
ulcersBinBhospitalizedBolderBadults.BTheBrelativeBriskBofBpressureBulcerBwasB2.5BinBth
eBinterventionBgroup.BThisBrelativeBriskBstatisticBmeansBthatB-
BAnswerBThereBisBanBincreasedBriskBofBpressureBulcersBinBtheBinterventionBgroup.
, WhichBofBtheBfollowingBstudyBdesignsBisBlowestBonBtheBevidenceBpyramid?B-
BAnswerBCaseBControlBStudy
ABmeasureBofBassociationBquantifiesBtheBrelationshipBbetweenBexposureBandBdiseaseB
amongBtheBtwoBgroups.BExposureBisBusedBlooselyBtoBmeanBnotBonlyBexposureBtoBfo
ods,Bmosquitoes,BaBpartnerBwithBaBsexuallyBtransmissibleBdisease,BorBaBtoxicBwasteBd
ump,BbutBalsoBinherentBcharacteristicsBofBpersonsB(forBexample,Bage,Brace,Bsex),Bbiol
ogicBcharacteristicsB(immuneBstatus),BacquiredBcharacteristicsB(maritalBstatus),Bactivities
B(occupation,BleisureBactivities),BorBconditionsBunderBwhichBtheyBliveB(socioeconomicB
statusBorBaccessBtoBmedicalBcare).B-BAnswerB
TheBmeasuresBofBassociationBdescribedBinBtheBfollowingBsectionBcompareBdiseaseBocc
urrenceBamongBoneBgroupBwithBdiseaseBoccurrenceBinBanotherBgroup.BExamplesBofB
measuresBofBassociationBincludeBriskBratioB(relativeBrisk),BrateBratio,BoddsBratio,BandB
proportionateBmortalityBratio.B-BAnswerB
ABriskBratioB(RR),BalsoBcalledBrelativeBrisk,BcomparesBtheBriskBofBaBhealthBeventB(dise
ase,Binjury,BriskBfactor,BorBdeath)BamongBoneBgroupBwithBtheBriskBamongBanotherBgr
oup.BItBdoesBsoBbyBdividingBtheBriskB(incidenceBproportion,BattackBrate)BinBgroupB1B
byBtheBriskB(incidenceBproportion,BattackBrate)BinBgroupB2.BTheBtwoBgroupsBareBtypic
allyBdifferentiatedBbyBsuchBdemographicBfactorsBasBsexB(e.g.,BmalesBversusBfemales)Bo
rBbyBexposureBtoBaBsuspectedBriskBfactorB(e.g.,BdidBorBdidBnotBeatBpotatoBsalad).BOf
ten,BtheBgroupBofBprimaryBinterestBisBlabeledBtheBexposedBgroup,BandBtheBcomparis
onBgroupBisBlabeledBtheBunexposedBgroup.B-BAnswerB
ABriskBratioBofB1.0BindicatesBidenticalBriskBamongBtheBtwoBgroups.BABriskBratioBgreat
erBthanB1.0BindicatesBanBincreasedBriskBforBtheBgroupBinBtheBnumerator,BusuallyBthe
BexposedBgroup.BABriskBratioBlessBthanB1.0BindicatesBaBdecreasedBriskBforBtheBexpos
edBgroup,BindicatingBthatBperhapsBexposureBactuallyBprotectsBagainstBdiseaseBoccurre
nce.B-BAnswerB
ABmeasureBofBpublicBhealthBimpactBisBusedBtoBplaceBtheBassociationBbetweenBanBex
posureBandBanBoutcomeBintoBaBmeaningfulBpublicBhealthBcontext.BWhereasBaBmeasur
eBofBassociationBquantifiesBtheBrelationshipBbetweenBexposureBandBdisease,BandBthus
BbeginsBtoBprovideBinsightBintoBcausalBrelationships,BmeasuresBofBpublicBhealthBimpa
and Answers Updated 2026
DescriptiveBEpidemiologyB-
BAnswerBDescriptiveBepidemiologyBisBtheB'who,BwhereBandBwhen'BofBaBhealth-
relatedBevent.BDescriptiveBepidemiologyBdescribesBwhoBisBaffectedBbyBtheBhealth-
relatedBevent,BtheBlocationBofBtheBevent,BandBtheBtimingBofBtheBevent.BDescriptiveBe
pidemiologyBdescribesBtheBpersons,Bplace,BandBtimeBinvolvedBinBtheBhealthBevent,Bal
soBknownBasBtheB'distribution'BofBhealthBandBhealth-relatedBevents.
AnalyticBEpidemiologyB-
BAnswerBAnalyticBepidemiologyBstudiesBtheB'why'BorB'how'BofBhealth-
relatedBevents.BTheBpurposeBofBanalyticBepidemiologyBisBtoBidentifyBtheBcausesBorBri
skBfactorsBforBtheBhealth-
relatedBstateBorBeventB(goodBorBbad)BofBinterest.BAnalyticBepidemiologyBstudiesBtheB
causesBorBriskBfactorsBforBhealth-
relatedBstatesBorBevents,BalsoBknownBasBtheB'determinants'BofBhealthBandBhealthBrel
atedBevents.
AnalyticBepidemiologyBquantifiesBtheBassociationBbetweenBexposuresBandBoutcomesBt
oBdetermineBcausalBrelationships
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBresearchBdesignsBareBobservationalBstudies?B-BAnswerB-
BProspectiveBcohortBstudies
-BCross-sectionalBstudies
-BRetrospectiveBcohortBstudies
TheBWomen'sBHealthBInitiativeBisBanBexampleBofBwhatBtypeBofBresearchBdesign?B-
BAnswerBRandomizedBControlledBTrial
CochraneBreviewsBareBatBtheBtopBofBtheBevidenceBpyramid..B-BAnswerBTrue
,WhichBofBtheBfollowingBtypesBofBresearchBdesignsBisBALWAYSBaBretrospectiveBstudy?B
-BAnswerBCaseBControlBStudy
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBtypesBofBsingleBstudyBdesignsBprovidesBtheBstrongestBlevelBof
BevidenceBtoBdetermineBcauseBandBeffect?B-BAnswerBRandomizedBControllBTrial
TheBBradfordBHillBcriteriaBareBusedBtoBdetermineBdiseaseBcausation.B-BAnswerBTrue
TheBFraminghamBHeartBStudyBisBanBexampleBofBwhatBtypeBofBresearchBdesign?B-
BAnswerBProspectiveBCohortBStudy
twoBtypesBofBexperimentalBdesigns:B-BAnswerBrandomizedBclinicalBtrialsBandBquasi-
experiments.
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBtypesBofBstudyBdesignsBprovidesBtheBlowestBlevelBofBevidenc
e?B-BAnswerBCrossBsectionalBstudy
RandomizedBcontrolledBtrialsBalwaysBevaluateBanBinterventionBandBincludeBaBcomparis
onBgroupB-BAnswerBTrue
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBtypesBofBstudyBdesignsBareBconsideredBtheB"goldBstandard"Bf
orBdeterminingBtheBeffectivenessBofBinterventions?B-BAnswerBRandomizedBClinicalBTrial
ABstudyBofBhumanBmilkBfeedingBofBprematureBinfantsBfindsBthatBtheBoddsBratioBforB
developingBsepsisBduringBtheBinfant'sBhospitalBcourseBwasB0.7BforBtheBinfantBwhoBrec
eivedBhumanBmilk.BThisBfindingBindicatesBthatB-
BAnswerBHumanBmilkBfeedingBreducesBtheBriskBofBsepsis
ABnewBinterventionBisBstudiedBtoBseeBifBitBisBassistedBwithBaBreductionBinBpressureB
ulcersBinBhospitalizedBolderBadults.BTheBrelativeBriskBofBpressureBulcerBwasB2.5BinBth
eBinterventionBgroup.BThisBrelativeBriskBstatisticBmeansBthatB-
BAnswerBThereBisBanBincreasedBriskBofBpressureBulcersBinBtheBinterventionBgroup.
, WhichBofBtheBfollowingBstudyBdesignsBisBlowestBonBtheBevidenceBpyramid?B-
BAnswerBCaseBControlBStudy
ABmeasureBofBassociationBquantifiesBtheBrelationshipBbetweenBexposureBandBdiseaseB
amongBtheBtwoBgroups.BExposureBisBusedBlooselyBtoBmeanBnotBonlyBexposureBtoBfo
ods,Bmosquitoes,BaBpartnerBwithBaBsexuallyBtransmissibleBdisease,BorBaBtoxicBwasteBd
ump,BbutBalsoBinherentBcharacteristicsBofBpersonsB(forBexample,Bage,Brace,Bsex),Bbiol
ogicBcharacteristicsB(immuneBstatus),BacquiredBcharacteristicsB(maritalBstatus),Bactivities
B(occupation,BleisureBactivities),BorBconditionsBunderBwhichBtheyBliveB(socioeconomicB
statusBorBaccessBtoBmedicalBcare).B-BAnswerB
TheBmeasuresBofBassociationBdescribedBinBtheBfollowingBsectionBcompareBdiseaseBocc
urrenceBamongBoneBgroupBwithBdiseaseBoccurrenceBinBanotherBgroup.BExamplesBofB
measuresBofBassociationBincludeBriskBratioB(relativeBrisk),BrateBratio,BoddsBratio,BandB
proportionateBmortalityBratio.B-BAnswerB
ABriskBratioB(RR),BalsoBcalledBrelativeBrisk,BcomparesBtheBriskBofBaBhealthBeventB(dise
ase,Binjury,BriskBfactor,BorBdeath)BamongBoneBgroupBwithBtheBriskBamongBanotherBgr
oup.BItBdoesBsoBbyBdividingBtheBriskB(incidenceBproportion,BattackBrate)BinBgroupB1B
byBtheBriskB(incidenceBproportion,BattackBrate)BinBgroupB2.BTheBtwoBgroupsBareBtypic
allyBdifferentiatedBbyBsuchBdemographicBfactorsBasBsexB(e.g.,BmalesBversusBfemales)Bo
rBbyBexposureBtoBaBsuspectedBriskBfactorB(e.g.,BdidBorBdidBnotBeatBpotatoBsalad).BOf
ten,BtheBgroupBofBprimaryBinterestBisBlabeledBtheBexposedBgroup,BandBtheBcomparis
onBgroupBisBlabeledBtheBunexposedBgroup.B-BAnswerB
ABriskBratioBofB1.0BindicatesBidenticalBriskBamongBtheBtwoBgroups.BABriskBratioBgreat
erBthanB1.0BindicatesBanBincreasedBriskBforBtheBgroupBinBtheBnumerator,BusuallyBthe
BexposedBgroup.BABriskBratioBlessBthanB1.0BindicatesBaBdecreasedBriskBforBtheBexpos
edBgroup,BindicatingBthatBperhapsBexposureBactuallyBprotectsBagainstBdiseaseBoccurre
nce.B-BAnswerB
ABmeasureBofBpublicBhealthBimpactBisBusedBtoBplaceBtheBassociationBbetweenBanBex
posureBandBanBoutcomeBintoBaBmeaningfulBpublicBhealthBcontext.BWhereasBaBmeasur
eBofBassociationBquantifiesBtheBrelationshipBbetweenBexposureBandBdisease,BandBthus
BbeginsBtoBprovideBinsightBintoBcausalBrelationships,BmeasuresBofBpublicBhealthBimpa