EPIDEMIOLOGY FINAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ALL
CORRECT
Which of Mill's four canons suggests that there is an association between frequency of
disease and the potency of a causative factor? - Answer- concomitant variation
Descriptive epidemiology characterizes the amount and distribution of disease within a
population and enables the researcher to: - Answer- b and c only
True or False? The National Health Survey consists of several distinct programs
conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. - Answer- true
Choose the correct answer. Data on morbidity in the U.S. armed forces include: -
Answer- all statements are correct
True or False? Health insurance statistics provide a generally representative picture of
the health status of the United States population. - Answer- false
The best routinely available sources of data regarding the incidence of respiratory
disease outbreaks and other rapidly spreading conditions are: - Answer- reports of
absenteeism from work and school
True or False? The Freedom of Information Act exempts (does not allow) the release of
personal medical data - Answer- true
Morbidity surveys of the general population: - Answer- all of the above
Cautious use of information from death certificates is warranted because: - Answer-
cause of death information may not be correct
The Vital Statistics Registration System in the U.S. collects data on all vital events
including: - Answer- a b and c
An abrupt drop in mortality due to a specific disease from one year to the next is most
likely due to - Answer- a change in the International Classification of Disease (ICD)
system
, What is one of the widely used sources of statistical data on cancer? - Answer- disease
registries
True or False? A registry is a centralized database of information about a disease. -
Answer- true
Which of the following data sources is most likely to provide a representative sample of
the general health status of a population - Answer- a morbidity survey of the general
population
What data source has the advantage of being almost nearly complete in the U.S.? -
Answer- b and c
Before utilizing data for an epidemiologic study, the researcher must first consider the: -
Answer- all of the above
True or False? A case-control study is purely a descriptive (as opposed to analytic)
study design - Answer- false
True or False? An ecologic comparison study is sometimes called a cross-sectional
ecologic study. - Answer- true
True or False? An ecologic study is one that examines a group as a unit of analysis. -
Answer- true
Case-control studies are among the best observational designs to study diseases of: -
Answer- low prevalence
A large medical center's oncology program reported an increased number of cases of
pancreatic cancer during a certain month. The hospital's epidemiologist decided to
research the problem. Tumor registry records were searched to identify all cases of
pancreatic cancer during a five-year period; cancer patients were matched with patients
treated for other diseases during the same five-year period. All subjects in the study
were questioned about lifestyle factors including alcohol, tea, and coffee consumption.
The resulting data are as follows:
Note: Total number of male cancer patients = 200.
Total number of female cancer patients = 150.
Total number of male patients (other diseases) = 300.
Total number of female patients (other diseases) = 300.
Which number best approximates risk associated with alcohol Drinking in Men? -
Answer- 1.37
Examples of exposure data in ecologic studies include: - Answer- all of the above
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ALL
CORRECT
Which of Mill's four canons suggests that there is an association between frequency of
disease and the potency of a causative factor? - Answer- concomitant variation
Descriptive epidemiology characterizes the amount and distribution of disease within a
population and enables the researcher to: - Answer- b and c only
True or False? The National Health Survey consists of several distinct programs
conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. - Answer- true
Choose the correct answer. Data on morbidity in the U.S. armed forces include: -
Answer- all statements are correct
True or False? Health insurance statistics provide a generally representative picture of
the health status of the United States population. - Answer- false
The best routinely available sources of data regarding the incidence of respiratory
disease outbreaks and other rapidly spreading conditions are: - Answer- reports of
absenteeism from work and school
True or False? The Freedom of Information Act exempts (does not allow) the release of
personal medical data - Answer- true
Morbidity surveys of the general population: - Answer- all of the above
Cautious use of information from death certificates is warranted because: - Answer-
cause of death information may not be correct
The Vital Statistics Registration System in the U.S. collects data on all vital events
including: - Answer- a b and c
An abrupt drop in mortality due to a specific disease from one year to the next is most
likely due to - Answer- a change in the International Classification of Disease (ICD)
system
, What is one of the widely used sources of statistical data on cancer? - Answer- disease
registries
True or False? A registry is a centralized database of information about a disease. -
Answer- true
Which of the following data sources is most likely to provide a representative sample of
the general health status of a population - Answer- a morbidity survey of the general
population
What data source has the advantage of being almost nearly complete in the U.S.? -
Answer- b and c
Before utilizing data for an epidemiologic study, the researcher must first consider the: -
Answer- all of the above
True or False? A case-control study is purely a descriptive (as opposed to analytic)
study design - Answer- false
True or False? An ecologic comparison study is sometimes called a cross-sectional
ecologic study. - Answer- true
True or False? An ecologic study is one that examines a group as a unit of analysis. -
Answer- true
Case-control studies are among the best observational designs to study diseases of: -
Answer- low prevalence
A large medical center's oncology program reported an increased number of cases of
pancreatic cancer during a certain month. The hospital's epidemiologist decided to
research the problem. Tumor registry records were searched to identify all cases of
pancreatic cancer during a five-year period; cancer patients were matched with patients
treated for other diseases during the same five-year period. All subjects in the study
were questioned about lifestyle factors including alcohol, tea, and coffee consumption.
The resulting data are as follows:
Note: Total number of male cancer patients = 200.
Total number of female cancer patients = 150.
Total number of male patients (other diseases) = 300.
Total number of female patients (other diseases) = 300.
Which number best approximates risk associated with alcohol Drinking in Men? -
Answer- 1.37
Examples of exposure data in ecologic studies include: - Answer- all of the above
