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NORRIS PORTH'S ESSENTIALS OF PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
CHAP. 1 CONCEPTS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE EXAM 2025
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH 100% CORRECT
SOLUTIONS | GUARANTEED SUCCESS.
1. As part of a screening program for prostate cancer, men at a senior
citizens center are having their blood levels of prostate-specific antigen
(PSA) measured. Which statement would best characterize high positive
predictive value but low negative predictive value for this screening test?
a) All of the men who had high PSA levels developed prostate
cancer; several men who had low PSA levels also developed
prostate cancer.
b) All of the men who had low PSA levels were cancer-free; several
men who had high levels also remained free of prostate cancer.
c) Men who had low PSA levels also displayed false positive results
for prostate cancer; men with high levels were often falsely
diagnosed with prostate cancer.
d) The test displayed low sensitivity but high specificity. - correct
answer - a) All of the men who had high PSA levels developed
prostate cancer; several men who had low PSA levels also
developed prostate cancer.
The test's inability to rule out cancer with a low PSA level indicates low
negative predictive value. The answer "All of the men who had low PSA
levels were cancer-free; several men who had high levels also remained
free of prostate cancer" suggests high negative predictive value. The
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answer "Men who had low PSA levels also displayed false positive
results for prostate cancer; men with high levels were often falsely
diagnosed with prostate cancer" indicates low positive predictive value.
High positive predictive value is associated with high sensitivity.
2. Researchers have designed a study where the health of a large group of
recent newborns will be followed for several years. What type of study is
this?
a) repetition
b) double-blind placebo
c) case-control
d) cohort - correct answer - d) cohort
When a certain group of persons are enrolled in study, they are known
as a cohort. Cohort members are chosen to have specific similar
characteristics. These studies are often longitudinal, following the cohort
over time to observe one or more specific health outcomes. A case-
control study is done on an individual, case-by-case situation. The
double-blind placebo is a drug study. Repetition is a type of study
carried out in a laboratory with very tight controls in place.
3. What do morbidity and mortality statistics refer to?
a) Long-term consequences and recovery rates of a disease
b) Cause of death and impact on the family because of a disease
c) Functional effects and death-producing characteristics of a
disease
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d) Effects a disease has on a person's life and treatment - correct
answer - c) Functional effects and death-producing characteristics
of a disease
Morbidity and mortality statistics provide information about the functional
effects (morbidity) and death-producing (mortality) characteristics of a
disease. Morbidity statistics do address the effects a disease has on a
person's life and the long-term consequences of the disease state, but
morbidity and mortality statistics taken together have a broader scope.
Neither morbidity nor mortality statistics address recovery rates from a
disease or treatment modalities for a disease. Although mortality does
address the causes of death in a given population, morbidity does not
address the impact the disease state has on the family.
4. The nurse researcher has gathered the above data. The nurse will apply
this data in what type of study?
a) Case-control study
b) Cohort study
c) Longitudinal study
d) Randomized control trial - correct answer - a) Case-control study
Case-control studies are designed to compare people known to have the
outcome of interest (cases) and those known not to have the outcome of
interest (controls). In the study outlined, the condition of interest is
influenza and the exposure wishing to be measured is vaccination
against influenza. This helps the nurse calculate the degree of protection
against the condition that may have been created by the vaccine; other
influencing factors would need to be controlled. In a cohort study (also
called a longitudinal study), people are followed over a period of time to
observe a specific health outcome that does not fit the data presented. A
NORRIS PORTH'S ESSENTIALS OF PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
CHAP. 1 CONCEPTS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE EXAM 2025
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH 100% CORRECT
SOLUTIONS | GUARANTEED SUCCESS.
1. As part of a screening program for prostate cancer, men at a senior
citizens center are having their blood levels of prostate-specific antigen
(PSA) measured. Which statement would best characterize high positive
predictive value but low negative predictive value for this screening test?
a) All of the men who had high PSA levels developed prostate
cancer; several men who had low PSA levels also developed
prostate cancer.
b) All of the men who had low PSA levels were cancer-free; several
men who had high levels also remained free of prostate cancer.
c) Men who had low PSA levels also displayed false positive results
for prostate cancer; men with high levels were often falsely
diagnosed with prostate cancer.
d) The test displayed low sensitivity but high specificity. - correct
answer - a) All of the men who had high PSA levels developed
prostate cancer; several men who had low PSA levels also
developed prostate cancer.
The test's inability to rule out cancer with a low PSA level indicates low
negative predictive value. The answer "All of the men who had low PSA
levels were cancer-free; several men who had high levels also remained
free of prostate cancer" suggests high negative predictive value. The
, Page |2
answer "Men who had low PSA levels also displayed false positive
results for prostate cancer; men with high levels were often falsely
diagnosed with prostate cancer" indicates low positive predictive value.
High positive predictive value is associated with high sensitivity.
2. Researchers have designed a study where the health of a large group of
recent newborns will be followed for several years. What type of study is
this?
a) repetition
b) double-blind placebo
c) case-control
d) cohort - correct answer - d) cohort
When a certain group of persons are enrolled in study, they are known
as a cohort. Cohort members are chosen to have specific similar
characteristics. These studies are often longitudinal, following the cohort
over time to observe one or more specific health outcomes. A case-
control study is done on an individual, case-by-case situation. The
double-blind placebo is a drug study. Repetition is a type of study
carried out in a laboratory with very tight controls in place.
3. What do morbidity and mortality statistics refer to?
a) Long-term consequences and recovery rates of a disease
b) Cause of death and impact on the family because of a disease
c) Functional effects and death-producing characteristics of a
disease
, Page |3
d) Effects a disease has on a person's life and treatment - correct
answer - c) Functional effects and death-producing characteristics
of a disease
Morbidity and mortality statistics provide information about the functional
effects (morbidity) and death-producing (mortality) characteristics of a
disease. Morbidity statistics do address the effects a disease has on a
person's life and the long-term consequences of the disease state, but
morbidity and mortality statistics taken together have a broader scope.
Neither morbidity nor mortality statistics address recovery rates from a
disease or treatment modalities for a disease. Although mortality does
address the causes of death in a given population, morbidity does not
address the impact the disease state has on the family.
4. The nurse researcher has gathered the above data. The nurse will apply
this data in what type of study?
a) Case-control study
b) Cohort study
c) Longitudinal study
d) Randomized control trial - correct answer - a) Case-control study
Case-control studies are designed to compare people known to have the
outcome of interest (cases) and those known not to have the outcome of
interest (controls). In the study outlined, the condition of interest is
influenza and the exposure wishing to be measured is vaccination
against influenza. This helps the nurse calculate the degree of protection
against the condition that may have been created by the vaccine; other
influencing factors would need to be controlled. In a cohort study (also
called a longitudinal study), people are followed over a period of time to
observe a specific health outcome that does not fit the data presented. A
