HOSA EPIDEMIOLOGY ACTUAL EXAM 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Prevalence. Answer: The proportion of the population at a given time
that has a case
◉ Case Fatality Rate. Answer: Ratio of fatal cases to total cases
◉ Risk factor. Answer: A definable element of exposure that captures at
least one part of the pathway by which the cause increases the risk that a
member of the population will meet the criteria of a case.
◉ Observational Study. Answer: Study in which events occur without
the scientist having controlled starting conditions. Resembles the studies
of geology and astronomy.
◉ Epidemiology. Answer: The study of the distribution and determinants
of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the
application of this study is the control of health problems.
,◉ 5 Ws of Descriptive Epidemiology. Answer: Diagnosis or health event
(what), Person (who), Place (where), Time (when) and Modes of
Transmission (why/how)
◉ Frequency. Answer: Not only the number of health events, but also
the relationship of that number to the size of the population.
◉ Pattern. Answer: The occurrence of health-related events by time,
place and person.
◉ Descriptive Epidemiology. Answer: Characterizing health events by
time, place, and person.
◉ Determinants. Answer: The causes and other factors that influence the
occurrence of disease and other health-related events.
◉ Analytic Epidemiology. Answer: Provides the "why" and "how"
disease and other health events spread/occur.
◉ Public Health Surveillance. Answer: The ongoing, systematic
collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of health data to
help guide public health decision making and action.
◉ Field Investigation. Answer: Characterizes the extent of the epidemic
and attempts to identify its cause.
,◉ Shoe Leather Epidemiology. Answer: Slang; the objective is to learn
more about the natural history, clinical spectrum, descriptive
epidemiology, and risk factors of the disease before determining what
disease intervention methods might be appropriate.
◉ Analytic Studies. Answer: A study with the purpose of identifying and
quantifying the relationship between an exposure and an outcome and to
test hypotheses about causal relationships by comparing case-patients
and those in an appropriate comparison group (control).
◉ Design. Answer: Includes determining the appropriate research
strategy and study design, writing justifications and protocols,
calculating sample sizes, deciding on criteria for subject selection (e.g.,
developing case definitions), choosing an appropriate comparison group,
and designing questionnaires.
◉ Conduct. Answer: Involves securing appropriate clearances and
approvals, adhering to appropriate ethical principles, abstracting records,
tracking down and interviewing subjects, collecting and handling
specimens, and managing the data.
◉ Analysis. Answer: Begins with describing the characteristics of the
subjects. It progresses to calculation of rates, creation of comparative
tables (e.g. two-by-two tables), and computations of measures of
association (e.g., chi-square test), confidence intervals, and the like.
, ◉ Interpretation. Answer: Involves putting the study findings into
perspective, identifying the key take-home messages, and making sound
recommendations. Doing so requires the epidemiologist be
knowledgeable about the subject matter and the strengths and
weaknesses of the study.
◉ Evaluation. Answer: The process of determining, as systematically
and objectively as possible, the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and
impact of activities with respect to establish goals.
◉ Effectiveness. Answer: Refers to the ability of a program to produce
the intended or expected results in the field.
◉ Efficacy. Answer: The ability to produce results under ideal
conditions.
◉ Efficiency. Answer: Refers to the ability of the program to produce
the intended results with a minimum expenditure of time and resources.
◉ Formative Evaluation. Answer: Evaluation that focuses on plans.
◉ Process Evaluation. Answer: Evaluation that focuses on operations.
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Prevalence. Answer: The proportion of the population at a given time
that has a case
◉ Case Fatality Rate. Answer: Ratio of fatal cases to total cases
◉ Risk factor. Answer: A definable element of exposure that captures at
least one part of the pathway by which the cause increases the risk that a
member of the population will meet the criteria of a case.
◉ Observational Study. Answer: Study in which events occur without
the scientist having controlled starting conditions. Resembles the studies
of geology and astronomy.
◉ Epidemiology. Answer: The study of the distribution and determinants
of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the
application of this study is the control of health problems.
,◉ 5 Ws of Descriptive Epidemiology. Answer: Diagnosis or health event
(what), Person (who), Place (where), Time (when) and Modes of
Transmission (why/how)
◉ Frequency. Answer: Not only the number of health events, but also
the relationship of that number to the size of the population.
◉ Pattern. Answer: The occurrence of health-related events by time,
place and person.
◉ Descriptive Epidemiology. Answer: Characterizing health events by
time, place, and person.
◉ Determinants. Answer: The causes and other factors that influence the
occurrence of disease and other health-related events.
◉ Analytic Epidemiology. Answer: Provides the "why" and "how"
disease and other health events spread/occur.
◉ Public Health Surveillance. Answer: The ongoing, systematic
collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of health data to
help guide public health decision making and action.
◉ Field Investigation. Answer: Characterizes the extent of the epidemic
and attempts to identify its cause.
,◉ Shoe Leather Epidemiology. Answer: Slang; the objective is to learn
more about the natural history, clinical spectrum, descriptive
epidemiology, and risk factors of the disease before determining what
disease intervention methods might be appropriate.
◉ Analytic Studies. Answer: A study with the purpose of identifying and
quantifying the relationship between an exposure and an outcome and to
test hypotheses about causal relationships by comparing case-patients
and those in an appropriate comparison group (control).
◉ Design. Answer: Includes determining the appropriate research
strategy and study design, writing justifications and protocols,
calculating sample sizes, deciding on criteria for subject selection (e.g.,
developing case definitions), choosing an appropriate comparison group,
and designing questionnaires.
◉ Conduct. Answer: Involves securing appropriate clearances and
approvals, adhering to appropriate ethical principles, abstracting records,
tracking down and interviewing subjects, collecting and handling
specimens, and managing the data.
◉ Analysis. Answer: Begins with describing the characteristics of the
subjects. It progresses to calculation of rates, creation of comparative
tables (e.g. two-by-two tables), and computations of measures of
association (e.g., chi-square test), confidence intervals, and the like.
, ◉ Interpretation. Answer: Involves putting the study findings into
perspective, identifying the key take-home messages, and making sound
recommendations. Doing so requires the epidemiologist be
knowledgeable about the subject matter and the strengths and
weaknesses of the study.
◉ Evaluation. Answer: The process of determining, as systematically
and objectively as possible, the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and
impact of activities with respect to establish goals.
◉ Effectiveness. Answer: Refers to the ability of a program to produce
the intended or expected results in the field.
◉ Efficacy. Answer: The ability to produce results under ideal
conditions.
◉ Efficiency. Answer: Refers to the ability of the program to produce
the intended results with a minimum expenditure of time and resources.
◉ Formative Evaluation. Answer: Evaluation that focuses on plans.
◉ Process Evaluation. Answer: Evaluation that focuses on operations.
