CPH Epidemiology Practice Exam Questions –
Latest Update 2026 | Exam Prep PDF | Graded
A+
Epidemiology - correct answer*the study of the distribution and determinants of health
and disease in populations.
Endemic disease - correct answer*habitual presence of disease within a given
geographic area
Epidemic - correct answer*Occurrence in a community of a group of illnesses of similar
nature in excess of what would normally be expected. Amount of disease depends on #
susceptible (at risk) and # not susceptible by way of immunization, past disease or
genetics.
Pandemic - correct answer*worldwide epidemic
Outbreak types: Common source - correct answer*group of persons exposed to
common agent
*point-exposed over a brief period of time
*intermittent-exposed over a long period of time.
Outbreak types: Propagated - correct answer*spreads gradually from person to person.
Outbreak types: Mixed epidemic - correct answer*common source and from person to
person.
Outbreak Investigation Steps - correct answer1. Define the epidemic
--cases, population at risk, determine attack rate, primary case, secondary case,
secondary attack rate.
2. Look for the time-place interactions of cases, persons
3. Look for combinations of variables
4. Develop hypothesis
5. Recommend control measures
Attack rate - correct answer*number of people at risk who develop the disease/number
of people at risk
Primary case - correct answer*the person who gets the disease form the source
Secondary Case - correct answer*the person who gets the disease from the primary
case.
, Secondary attack rate - correct answer*person to person spread
*number of persons who got sick via the primary case/number of persons exposed to
primary case.
Incidence - correct answer*measure of risk (new cases)
Prevalence - correct answer*measure of the burden of disease in a community (new
and pre-existing cases)
*point prevalence: at a specific point in time
*period prevalence: during a specific period of time.
Morbidity - correct answer*the occurrence of disease in populations; the number of
cases of a particular disease reported within a particular society and within a particular
period of time.
Mortality - correct answer*proportion in a population that dies during a specified period.
Case Fatality (CF) or fatality rate - correct answer*measures the severity of disease.
*it is the ratio of deaths within a designated population of people with a particular
condition, over a certain period of time.
Primary prevention - correct answer*prevent the disease from occurring (e.g.
immunization)
Secondary prevention - correct answer*modify the severity of the extent of the disease
(e.g. better access to emergency care)
Tertiary prevention - correct answer*rehabilitation; measures to prevent reoccurrence of
disease.
Descriptive epidemiology - correct answer*describes the health conditions and health-
related characteristics of populations, typically in terms of person, place, and time.
Types of descriptive studies - correct answer*routine analyses of vital statistics,
communicable disease reports, other notifiable events.
*periodic surveys of health status, knowledge, belief, attitudes, practices, behavior,
environmental exposures, and health care encounters.
*specialized surveys to establish prevalence of a condition, a characteristic or use of a
medical procedure.
Analytic epidemiology - correct answer*involves the systematic evaluation of suspected
relationships, for example between an exposure and a health outcome.
*usually involves the testing of hypotheses
Types of analytic studies - correct answer*case-control studies; comparison of people
who develop a condition with people who do not
Latest Update 2026 | Exam Prep PDF | Graded
A+
Epidemiology - correct answer*the study of the distribution and determinants of health
and disease in populations.
Endemic disease - correct answer*habitual presence of disease within a given
geographic area
Epidemic - correct answer*Occurrence in a community of a group of illnesses of similar
nature in excess of what would normally be expected. Amount of disease depends on #
susceptible (at risk) and # not susceptible by way of immunization, past disease or
genetics.
Pandemic - correct answer*worldwide epidemic
Outbreak types: Common source - correct answer*group of persons exposed to
common agent
*point-exposed over a brief period of time
*intermittent-exposed over a long period of time.
Outbreak types: Propagated - correct answer*spreads gradually from person to person.
Outbreak types: Mixed epidemic - correct answer*common source and from person to
person.
Outbreak Investigation Steps - correct answer1. Define the epidemic
--cases, population at risk, determine attack rate, primary case, secondary case,
secondary attack rate.
2. Look for the time-place interactions of cases, persons
3. Look for combinations of variables
4. Develop hypothesis
5. Recommend control measures
Attack rate - correct answer*number of people at risk who develop the disease/number
of people at risk
Primary case - correct answer*the person who gets the disease form the source
Secondary Case - correct answer*the person who gets the disease from the primary
case.
, Secondary attack rate - correct answer*person to person spread
*number of persons who got sick via the primary case/number of persons exposed to
primary case.
Incidence - correct answer*measure of risk (new cases)
Prevalence - correct answer*measure of the burden of disease in a community (new
and pre-existing cases)
*point prevalence: at a specific point in time
*period prevalence: during a specific period of time.
Morbidity - correct answer*the occurrence of disease in populations; the number of
cases of a particular disease reported within a particular society and within a particular
period of time.
Mortality - correct answer*proportion in a population that dies during a specified period.
Case Fatality (CF) or fatality rate - correct answer*measures the severity of disease.
*it is the ratio of deaths within a designated population of people with a particular
condition, over a certain period of time.
Primary prevention - correct answer*prevent the disease from occurring (e.g.
immunization)
Secondary prevention - correct answer*modify the severity of the extent of the disease
(e.g. better access to emergency care)
Tertiary prevention - correct answer*rehabilitation; measures to prevent reoccurrence of
disease.
Descriptive epidemiology - correct answer*describes the health conditions and health-
related characteristics of populations, typically in terms of person, place, and time.
Types of descriptive studies - correct answer*routine analyses of vital statistics,
communicable disease reports, other notifiable events.
*periodic surveys of health status, knowledge, belief, attitudes, practices, behavior,
environmental exposures, and health care encounters.
*specialized surveys to establish prevalence of a condition, a characteristic or use of a
medical procedure.
Analytic epidemiology - correct answer*involves the systematic evaluation of suspected
relationships, for example between an exposure and a health outcome.
*usually involves the testing of hypotheses
Types of analytic studies - correct answer*case-control studies; comparison of people
who develop a condition with people who do not
