MD3150E Epidemiology Biostatistics and Public Health Version 2
Closed questions – 0.4 point, Total: 20 points; True / False – 0.25 point, Total: 10 points;
Filling Gaps – 1 point, Total: 10 points. Total score – 40 points.
1. Mold and cockroaches are believed to be related to the development of asthma. Which of the
following determinants of health best describes this situation?
A: Behavior
B: Geography
C: Genetics
D: Environment
E: Socio-economic
2. Define incubation period
A The doubling time of the agent and the communicability time between exposures
B When someone is infected but does not show any symptoms
C Resistance of the entire community because of the people immunity within the
community
D Time from when the agent first invaded and the first symptom
E None of the above
3. Active immunity is
A Immunity gained from a person to person transaction
B The development of immunity from previous exposure to an agent before a vaccine or
natural infection
C Resistance of the entire community because of the people immunity within the
community
D Immunity gained from a person to person transaction
E None of the above
4. A specific case definition is one that:
A Is likely to include only (or mostly) true cases
B Is considered "loose" or "broad"
C Will include more cases than a sensitive case definition
D May include mild cases
5. What is the primary difference between risk and prevalence?
A Prevalence describes the number of diseased persons present in the population divided by the
number of persons in the population in a specified time period, whereas risk describes the
number of newly diseased person present in the population divided by the number of at-risk
persons in the population in a specified time period.
B Prevalence describes the number of diseased person present in the population in a specified
time period whereas risk describes the number of people who die from the disease in the
population in a specified time period.
C Risk describes the number of diseased persons present in the population divided by the
number of persons in the population during a specified time period, whereas prevalence
, describes the number of newly diseased person present in the population in a specified time
period divided by the number of at- risk persons in the population.
6. Which of the following best describes the retrospective design where subjects are sampled by
disease status and is often used when the investigator is interested in rare diseases?
a) intervention trial
b) case control study
c) retrospective cohort
d) ecologic study
e) none of the above
7. Which of the following studies is best described in this statement: “A study where the participants
receive one drug for heart disease and then later receive a different drug for heart disease."
a) randomized controlled trial
b) cohort study
c) cross-over clinical trial
d) intervention study
e) case-control study
8. Which of the following study designs is sometimes referred to as a “snapshot in time”?
a. Case-control study
b. Time to treat study
c. Cohort study
d. Cross-sectional study
e. Intervention study
9. Which of the following conclusions to explain the hypothetical statement that “Air pollution is
higher in New York City than in Washington D.C., but mortality from lung disease is lower in New
York City than in Washington D.C.” would be an example of ecologic fallacy?
a. Persons dying of lung disease in Washington D.C. may have moved from high air
pollution cities
b. Air pollution protects against lung disease deaths
c. People in New York City may have better health insurance than people in Washington
D.C.
d. New York City may provide better treatment for lung disease than Washington D.C.
10. When analyzing surveillance data by age, which of the following age groups is preferred? (Choose
one best answer)
a. 1-year age groups
b. 5-year age groups
c. 10-year age groups
d. Depends on the disease
11. A key feature of a cross-sectional study is that:
a. It usually provides information on prevalence rather than incidence
b. It is limited to health exposures and behaviors rather than health outcomes
c. It is more useful for analytic than descriptive epidemiology
d. It is used to commonly used to ascertain temporality
Closed questions – 0.4 point, Total: 20 points; True / False – 0.25 point, Total: 10 points;
Filling Gaps – 1 point, Total: 10 points. Total score – 40 points.
1. Mold and cockroaches are believed to be related to the development of asthma. Which of the
following determinants of health best describes this situation?
A: Behavior
B: Geography
C: Genetics
D: Environment
E: Socio-economic
2. Define incubation period
A The doubling time of the agent and the communicability time between exposures
B When someone is infected but does not show any symptoms
C Resistance of the entire community because of the people immunity within the
community
D Time from when the agent first invaded and the first symptom
E None of the above
3. Active immunity is
A Immunity gained from a person to person transaction
B The development of immunity from previous exposure to an agent before a vaccine or
natural infection
C Resistance of the entire community because of the people immunity within the
community
D Immunity gained from a person to person transaction
E None of the above
4. A specific case definition is one that:
A Is likely to include only (or mostly) true cases
B Is considered "loose" or "broad"
C Will include more cases than a sensitive case definition
D May include mild cases
5. What is the primary difference between risk and prevalence?
A Prevalence describes the number of diseased persons present in the population divided by the
number of persons in the population in a specified time period, whereas risk describes the
number of newly diseased person present in the population divided by the number of at-risk
persons in the population in a specified time period.
B Prevalence describes the number of diseased person present in the population in a specified
time period whereas risk describes the number of people who die from the disease in the
population in a specified time period.
C Risk describes the number of diseased persons present in the population divided by the
number of persons in the population during a specified time period, whereas prevalence
, describes the number of newly diseased person present in the population in a specified time
period divided by the number of at- risk persons in the population.
6. Which of the following best describes the retrospective design where subjects are sampled by
disease status and is often used when the investigator is interested in rare diseases?
a) intervention trial
b) case control study
c) retrospective cohort
d) ecologic study
e) none of the above
7. Which of the following studies is best described in this statement: “A study where the participants
receive one drug for heart disease and then later receive a different drug for heart disease."
a) randomized controlled trial
b) cohort study
c) cross-over clinical trial
d) intervention study
e) case-control study
8. Which of the following study designs is sometimes referred to as a “snapshot in time”?
a. Case-control study
b. Time to treat study
c. Cohort study
d. Cross-sectional study
e. Intervention study
9. Which of the following conclusions to explain the hypothetical statement that “Air pollution is
higher in New York City than in Washington D.C., but mortality from lung disease is lower in New
York City than in Washington D.C.” would be an example of ecologic fallacy?
a. Persons dying of lung disease in Washington D.C. may have moved from high air
pollution cities
b. Air pollution protects against lung disease deaths
c. People in New York City may have better health insurance than people in Washington
D.C.
d. New York City may provide better treatment for lung disease than Washington D.C.
10. When analyzing surveillance data by age, which of the following age groups is preferred? (Choose
one best answer)
a. 1-year age groups
b. 5-year age groups
c. 10-year age groups
d. Depends on the disease
11. A key feature of a cross-sectional study is that:
a. It usually provides information on prevalence rather than incidence
b. It is limited to health exposures and behaviors rather than health outcomes
c. It is more useful for analytic than descriptive epidemiology
d. It is used to commonly used to ascertain temporality
