Comprehensive Public Health and Epidemiology
Review Guide – Core Functions, Laws, and
Quantitative Applications
The substance of public health, its core functions, and its essential services must integrate in
the framework of public health performance. Assessment if one of the core functions of public
health as declared by the Institute of Medicine. Which of the following activities will be
considered in meeting the essential public health services of this core function?
A. Assessment of community health needs
B. Investigation of health hazards and effects
C. Analysis of disease risk factors
D. a and c only
E. All of the above ✔✔E. All of the above
The Institute of Medicine, in The Future of Public Health landmark release on the mission and
vision of public health, stated categorically that "assurance" is one of the core functions of
public health. As a public health professional assigned to a local health department to direct a
newly-created unit for public health service assurance, which of the following should you
expect to be included among your areas of responsibility?
A. Management resources
B. Implementation of programs
C. Planning and developing policies
,D. a and b only
E. All of the above ✔✔D. a and b only
The lessons from the state of California's Tobacco Taxation Program are indicative of the
essential role of policy in disease prevention and health promotion. In 1988, Californian
Proposition 99 placed a 25 cent tax on cigarette packaging ($90 million per year to change
social norms/behavior). Ten years later (1999), there had been a 27% reduction in smoking and
a 19% decrease in lung cancer death rates in the state. Therefore, governmental policies such
as taxing tobacco to reduce tobacco smoking among youths who are most sensitive to price
increases are essential for the improvement of population health. Policy development as a core
function of public health embraces all of the following activities except:
A. Advocating for community needs and issues
B. Prioritizing health needs
C. Planning and developing policies
D. Evaluating programs
E. None of the above ✔✔D. Evaluating programs
Public health achievement in the 21st century includes motor vehicle safety. During 1925 there
were 18 deaths per million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and in 1997 there were 1.7 deaths per
million VMT. The decrease in motor vehicle deaths can be attributed primarily to the public
health focus on:
A. Improvements in vehicle safety features
,B. Public education on the importance of safety belts
C. Enforcement of traffic laws
D. Improved streets and highways
E. All of the above ✔✔E. All of the above
In 1990, more than 30% of all deaths occurred among children younger than 5 years old,
primarily from infectious diseases. Today, that thought it staggering. Public health initiatives
such as immunizations, improved sanitation, clean water, and improved food safety have
virtually eliminated myriad infectious diseases, including typhoid and cholera- two major causes
of illness and death early in the 20th century. Which of the following conditions resulted in safe
and healthier food?
A. Refrigeration
B. Pasteurization
C. Healthier animal care, feeding, and processing
D. Improved food supply safety
E. All of the above ✔✔E. All of the above
Compared with the 1900s, average life span has increased in the United States as the direct
result of public health initiatives such as vaccinations, sanitation, chlorination, motor vehicle
and workplace safety, and improving people's awareness of the importance of health lifestyle
choices. Which of the following are considered the broad health issues of public health today?
A. Preventing and controlling disease
, B. Keeping our environment clean, healthy, and safe
C. Promoting good health practices
D. All of the above
E. None of the above ✔✔D. All of the above
Clinicians may examine men who are diabetic more often or more thoroughly than men who
are not. If this observation is accurate, and if an association is observed between erectile
dysfunction (ED) and diabetes mellitus in men, the association may be due to which of the
following bias?
a. Misclassification bias
b. Recall bias
c. Surveillance bias
d. Interviewer bias
e. None of the above ✔✔C. Surveillance bias
If the relative risk in all subjects differs from the relative risk in the subjects stratified by BMI,
which of the following statements may explain this observation?
A. BMI itself is a factor in type II DM
B. BMI is related to exercise
C. BMI is a confounder
Review Guide – Core Functions, Laws, and
Quantitative Applications
The substance of public health, its core functions, and its essential services must integrate in
the framework of public health performance. Assessment if one of the core functions of public
health as declared by the Institute of Medicine. Which of the following activities will be
considered in meeting the essential public health services of this core function?
A. Assessment of community health needs
B. Investigation of health hazards and effects
C. Analysis of disease risk factors
D. a and c only
E. All of the above ✔✔E. All of the above
The Institute of Medicine, in The Future of Public Health landmark release on the mission and
vision of public health, stated categorically that "assurance" is one of the core functions of
public health. As a public health professional assigned to a local health department to direct a
newly-created unit for public health service assurance, which of the following should you
expect to be included among your areas of responsibility?
A. Management resources
B. Implementation of programs
C. Planning and developing policies
,D. a and b only
E. All of the above ✔✔D. a and b only
The lessons from the state of California's Tobacco Taxation Program are indicative of the
essential role of policy in disease prevention and health promotion. In 1988, Californian
Proposition 99 placed a 25 cent tax on cigarette packaging ($90 million per year to change
social norms/behavior). Ten years later (1999), there had been a 27% reduction in smoking and
a 19% decrease in lung cancer death rates in the state. Therefore, governmental policies such
as taxing tobacco to reduce tobacco smoking among youths who are most sensitive to price
increases are essential for the improvement of population health. Policy development as a core
function of public health embraces all of the following activities except:
A. Advocating for community needs and issues
B. Prioritizing health needs
C. Planning and developing policies
D. Evaluating programs
E. None of the above ✔✔D. Evaluating programs
Public health achievement in the 21st century includes motor vehicle safety. During 1925 there
were 18 deaths per million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and in 1997 there were 1.7 deaths per
million VMT. The decrease in motor vehicle deaths can be attributed primarily to the public
health focus on:
A. Improvements in vehicle safety features
,B. Public education on the importance of safety belts
C. Enforcement of traffic laws
D. Improved streets and highways
E. All of the above ✔✔E. All of the above
In 1990, more than 30% of all deaths occurred among children younger than 5 years old,
primarily from infectious diseases. Today, that thought it staggering. Public health initiatives
such as immunizations, improved sanitation, clean water, and improved food safety have
virtually eliminated myriad infectious diseases, including typhoid and cholera- two major causes
of illness and death early in the 20th century. Which of the following conditions resulted in safe
and healthier food?
A. Refrigeration
B. Pasteurization
C. Healthier animal care, feeding, and processing
D. Improved food supply safety
E. All of the above ✔✔E. All of the above
Compared with the 1900s, average life span has increased in the United States as the direct
result of public health initiatives such as vaccinations, sanitation, chlorination, motor vehicle
and workplace safety, and improving people's awareness of the importance of health lifestyle
choices. Which of the following are considered the broad health issues of public health today?
A. Preventing and controlling disease
, B. Keeping our environment clean, healthy, and safe
C. Promoting good health practices
D. All of the above
E. None of the above ✔✔D. All of the above
Clinicians may examine men who are diabetic more often or more thoroughly than men who
are not. If this observation is accurate, and if an association is observed between erectile
dysfunction (ED) and diabetes mellitus in men, the association may be due to which of the
following bias?
a. Misclassification bias
b. Recall bias
c. Surveillance bias
d. Interviewer bias
e. None of the above ✔✔C. Surveillance bias
If the relative risk in all subjects differs from the relative risk in the subjects stratified by BMI,
which of the following statements may explain this observation?
A. BMI itself is a factor in type II DM
B. BMI is related to exercise
C. BMI is a confounder
