, COMPLETE TESTBANK - Essentials of Biostatistics for Public Health 4th Edition Sullivan
Contents
Chapter 1 – Introduction: Biostatistics in Public Health ................................................................ 3
Chapter 2 – Study Designs: Overview and Applications ............................................................ 15
Chapter 3 – Quantifying the Extent of Disease: Incidence and Prevalence............................ 26
Chapter 4 – Summarizing Data Collected in the Sample: Descriptive Statistics and
Graphical Tools................................................................................................................................. 37
Chapter 5 – The Role of Probability: Foundations for Statistical Inference ............................. 48
Chapter 6 – Confidence Interval Estimates: Estimating Population Parameters ................... 59
Chapter 7 – Hypothesis Testing Procedures: Framework for Statistical Inference................ 70
Chapter 8 – Power and Sample Size Determination: Ensuring Adequate Study Reliability . 81
Chapter 9 – Multivariable Methods: Controlling for Confounding and Identifying Independent
Predictors........................................................................................................................................... 92
Chapter 10 – Nonparametric Tests: Analysis for Ordinal, Skewed, or Non-Normal Data... 103
Chapter 11 – Survival Analysis: Time-to-Event Methods in Public Health ............................ 114
Chapter 12 – Data Visualization: Communicating Public Health Data ................................... 125
Chapter 13 – Careers in Biostatistics: Opportunities and Skills for Public Health Impact... 136
, COMPLETE TESTBANK - Essentials of Biostatistics for Public Health 4th Edition Sullivan
Chapter 1 – Introduction: Biostatistics in Public Health
Question 1
A public health team wants to estimate the prevalence of hypertension among adults in
a large city. They randomly select 500 adults from different neighborhoods. What best
describes the 500 adults in this study?
A) Population
B) Sample ✅
C) Variable
D) Parameter
✅ Correct Answer: B) Sample
Rationale: The 500 adults are a subset of the entire adult population; they are selected
to represent the larger population. A population includes all adults in the city, whereas a
parameter is a summary measure of the population. A variable represents
characteristics measured on individuals.
Keywords: Sample, Population, Parameter, Subset
Question 2
A researcher collects data on participants’ blood type (A, B, AB, O) in a nutrition study.
Which type of variable is blood type?
A) Continuous
B) Categorical ✅
C) Ordinal
D) Ratio
, COMPLETE TESTBANK - Essentials of Biostatistics for Public Health 4th Edition Sullivan
✅ Correct Answer: B) Categorical
Rationale: Blood type is a categorical variable because it classifies participants into
distinct, non-numeric categories. Continuous variables are numerical and can take any
value within a range, such as weight or blood pressure.
Keywords: Categorical variable, Discrete, Nominal
Question 3
A study measures participants’ cholesterol levels in mg/dL. Which type of variable is
being measured?
A) Categorical
B) Continuous ✅
C) Binary
D) Ordinal
✅ Correct Answer: B) Continuous
Rationale: Cholesterol levels are numeric and can take an infinite range of values,
making it a continuous variable. Binary variables have only two categories, and ordinal
variables have an inherent order.
Keywords: Continuous variable, Quantitative, Measurement
Question 4
A public health officer wants to understand smoking prevalence in different age groups.
Which statement correctly differentiates a population from a sample in this scenario?
, COMPLETE TESTBANK - Essentials of Biostatistics for Public Health 4th Edition Sullivan
A) The officer measures only one participant → population
B) The officer measures all smokers in the country → sample
C) The officer measures all adults in the country → population ✅
D) The officer measures a random group of 300 adults → population
✅ Correct Answer: C) The officer measures all adults in the country
Rationale: A population refers to the entire group of interest—in this case, all adults in
the country. A sample is a subset of the population used to make inferences.
Keywords: Population, Sample, Public Health Study
Question 5
During a survey, participants are asked if they have been diagnosed with diabetes
(Yes/No). What type of variable is this?
A) Continuous
B) Nominal categorical ✅
C) Ordinal
D) Ratio
✅ Correct Answer: B) Nominal categorical
Rationale: “Yes” or “No” responses represent distinct categories without intrinsic order,
making this a nominal categorical variable.
Keywords: Nominal, Binary, Categorical
, COMPLETE TESTBANK - Essentials of Biostatistics for Public Health 4th Edition Sullivan
Question 6
A researcher collects the heights of 200 children to summarize growth patterns. The
mean height is 120 cm. Which statement best describes this statistic?
A) Parameter
B) Population
C) Sample ✅
D) Variable
✅ Correct Answer: C) Sample
Rationale: The researcher calculates the mean from a subset of all children (the
sample). A parameter describes the entire population, while a variable is an individual
characteristic measured.
Keywords: Sample statistic, Mean, Descriptive
Question 7
In a study, BMI is recorded for each participant and classified as underweight, normal,
overweight, or obese. Which type of variable is BMI in this context?
A) Continuous
B) Categorical (ordinal) ✅
C) Binary
D) Ratio
✅ Correct Answer: B) Categorical (ordinal)
Rationale: BMI values are initially continuous but are categorized into ordered groups
(underweight < normal < overweight < obese). Thus, in this study context, it is an ordinal
categorical variable.