GORDIS EPIDEMIOLOGY EXAM SCRIPT
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
●● Distribution
Answer: Variations in disease occurrence across populations.
●● Determinants
Answer: Factors that influence health outcomes.
●● Population
Answer: A group of people with shared characteristics.
●● Descriptive Epidemiology
Answer: Defines frequency and distribution of disease.
●● Analytic Epidemiology
Answer: Analyzes determinants of health problems.
●● Association
Answer: A statistical relationship between two or more variables.
●● Causation
,Answer: The relationship where one event is the result of the occurrence
of another event.
●● Temporality
Answer: The cause must occur before the effect in time.
●● Consistency
Answer: The association is observed repeatedly in different studies,
populations, or circumstances.
●● Strength of Association
Answer: A strong statistical relationship between exposure and outcome
suggests a higher likelihood of causality.
●● Dose-Response Relationship
Answer: Greater exposure leads to a higher risk of disease, supporting a
causal link.
●● Coherence
Answer: The association does not conflict with what is already known
about the disease's biology or history.
●● Plausibility
, Answer: A biologically reasonable mechanism exists to explain the
relationship between exposure and disease.
●● Experiment
Answer: Evidence from controlled studies supports the association, often
by showing that modifying exposure changes risk.
●● Analogy
Answer: Similar factors are known to cause similar effects in other
contexts.
●● Specificity of Association
Answer: A specific exposure leads to a specific disease, with minimal
alternative explanations.
●● Primary Prevention
Answer: Prevent initial development of disease; Example: HPV
vaccination.
●● Secondary Prevention
Answer: Early detection to prevent severe outcomes; Example: PAP
smears for cervical cancer.
●● Human Host
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
●● Distribution
Answer: Variations in disease occurrence across populations.
●● Determinants
Answer: Factors that influence health outcomes.
●● Population
Answer: A group of people with shared characteristics.
●● Descriptive Epidemiology
Answer: Defines frequency and distribution of disease.
●● Analytic Epidemiology
Answer: Analyzes determinants of health problems.
●● Association
Answer: A statistical relationship between two or more variables.
●● Causation
,Answer: The relationship where one event is the result of the occurrence
of another event.
●● Temporality
Answer: The cause must occur before the effect in time.
●● Consistency
Answer: The association is observed repeatedly in different studies,
populations, or circumstances.
●● Strength of Association
Answer: A strong statistical relationship between exposure and outcome
suggests a higher likelihood of causality.
●● Dose-Response Relationship
Answer: Greater exposure leads to a higher risk of disease, supporting a
causal link.
●● Coherence
Answer: The association does not conflict with what is already known
about the disease's biology or history.
●● Plausibility
, Answer: A biologically reasonable mechanism exists to explain the
relationship between exposure and disease.
●● Experiment
Answer: Evidence from controlled studies supports the association, often
by showing that modifying exposure changes risk.
●● Analogy
Answer: Similar factors are known to cause similar effects in other
contexts.
●● Specificity of Association
Answer: A specific exposure leads to a specific disease, with minimal
alternative explanations.
●● Primary Prevention
Answer: Prevent initial development of disease; Example: HPV
vaccination.
●● Secondary Prevention
Answer: Early detection to prevent severe outcomes; Example: PAP
smears for cervical cancer.
●● Human Host
