INTRODUCTION TO EPIDEMIOLOGY
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS 2025/2026
time patterns - ANSWER-these types of patterns may be annual, seasonal, weekly,
daily, hourly, weekday versus weekend, or any other breakdown of time that may
influence disease or injury occurrence
place patterns - ANSWER-these types of patterns include geographic variation,
urban/rural differences, and location of work sites or schools
person patterns - ANSWER-these types of patterns include personal characteristics
such as demographic factors which may be related to risk of illness, injury, or disability
like age, sex, marital status, and socioeconomic status, as well as behaviors and
environmental exposure
descriptive epidemiology - ANSWER-Characterizing health events by time, place, and
person are activities of...
The aspect of epidemiology concerned with organizing and summarizing health-related
data according to time, place, and person
- involves the study of disease incidence and distribution by TIME, PLACE, and
PERSON
- includes the calculation of rates and identification of parts of the population at higher
risk than others
determinants - ANSWER-any factor, whether event, characteristic, or other definable
entity, that brings about a change in a health condition or other defined characteristic
epidemiologists search for this which are the causes and other factors that influence the
occurrence of disease and other health-related events
determinants (fill in the blank) - ANSWER-Epidemiologists assume that illness does not
occur randomly in a population, but happens only when the right accumulation of risk
factors or ____________ exists in an individual
How do epidemiologists search for determinants? - ANSWER-To search for these
determinants, epidemiologists use ANALYTIC EPIDEMIOLOGY or EPIDEMIOLOGICAL
STUDIES to provide the "WHY" and "HOW" of such events. They assess whether
GROUPS with different rates of disease DIFFER IN their demographic characteristics,
genetic or immunologic make-up, behaviors, environmental exposures, or other so-
,called potential RISK FACTORS. Ideally, the findings provide sufficient evidence to
direct prompt and effective public health control and prevention measures.
epidemics, endemic, non-communicable, chronic diseases, genetic, health-related
states or events - ANSWER-Epidemiology was originally focused exclusively on
__________ of communicable diseases but was subsequently expanded to address
__________ communicable diseases and ____-___________ infectious diseases. By
the middle of the 20th Century, additional epidemiological methods had been developed
and applied to _________ _________, injuries, birth defects, maternal-child health,
occupational health, and environmental health. Then epidemiologists began to look at
behaviors related to health and well-being, such as amount of exercise and seat belt
use. Now, with the recent explosion in molecular methods, epidemiologists can make
important strides in examining ________ markers of disease risk. Indeed, the term
________-________ ______ or _______ may be seen as anything that affects the well-
being of a population. Nonetheless, many epidemiologists still use the term "disease" as
shorthand for the wide range of health-related states and events that are studied.
Epidemics - ANSWER-Occurrences of diseases in which many people in the same
place at the same time are affected
communicable disease - ANSWER-a disease that is spread from one host to another
endemic - ANSWER-(adj.) native or confined to a particular region or people;
characteristic of or prevalent in a field
non-communicable disease - ANSWER-A disease that cannot be spread from person to
person
individual, community - ANSWER-While a clinician is concerned about the health of an
__________, the epidemiologist is concerned about the collective health of the people
in a _____________
specified populations - ANSWER-For example, when a patient with diarrheal disease
presents, both are interested in establishing the correct diagnosis. However, while the
CLINICIAN usually focuses on treating and caring for the INDIVIDUAL, while the
EPIDEMIOLOGIST focuses on identifying the exposure or SOURCE that CAUSED the
illness; the number of other persons who may have been similarly exposed; the
potential for further spread in the community; and interventions to prevent additional
cases or recurrences.
What part of the definition of epidemiology does this explain?
application - ANSWER-Epidemiology is not just "the study of" health in a population; it
also involves applying the knowledge gained by the studies to community-based
practice. Like the practice of medicine, the practice of epidemiology is both a science
and an art. To make the proper diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment for a
, patient, the clinician COMBINES medical (scientific) KNOWLEDGE WITH
EXPERIENCE, clinical judgment, and understanding of the patient. Similarly, the
epidemiologist uses the scientific methods of descriptive and analytic epidemiology as
well as experience, epidemiological judgment, and understanding of local conditions in
"diagnosing" the health of a community and proposing appropriate, practical, and
acceptable public health interventions to control and prevent disease in the community.
What part of the definition of epidemiology does this explain?
study, distribution, determinants, health-related states and events, specified
populations, application - ANSWER-Overall, epidemiology is the _______ (scientific,
systematic, data-driven) of the ____________ (frequency, pattern) and __________
(causes, risk factors) of _______-_________ ______ ____ _______ (not just diseases)
in ________ _______ (patient is community, individuals viewed collectively), and the
________ of (since epidemiology is a discipline within public health) this study to the
control of health problems.
determinants (food histories) - ANSWER-Compare food histories between persons with
Staphylococcus food poisoning and those without.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
determinants (brain cancer) - ANSWER-Compare frequency of brain cancer among
anatomists with frequency in general population.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
distribution (hazardous waste site) - ANSWER-Mark on a map the residences of all
children born with birth defects within 2 miles of a hazardous waste site.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
distribution (graph # of cases) - ANSWER-Graph the number of cases of congenital
syphilis by year for the country.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
application (Rifampin) - ANSWER-Recommend that close contacts of a child recently
reported with meningococcal meningitis receive Rifampin.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
distribution (Cincinnati, Ohio) - ANSWER-Tabulate the frequency of clinical signs,
symptoms, and laboratory findings among children with chickenpox in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS 2025/2026
time patterns - ANSWER-these types of patterns may be annual, seasonal, weekly,
daily, hourly, weekday versus weekend, or any other breakdown of time that may
influence disease or injury occurrence
place patterns - ANSWER-these types of patterns include geographic variation,
urban/rural differences, and location of work sites or schools
person patterns - ANSWER-these types of patterns include personal characteristics
such as demographic factors which may be related to risk of illness, injury, or disability
like age, sex, marital status, and socioeconomic status, as well as behaviors and
environmental exposure
descriptive epidemiology - ANSWER-Characterizing health events by time, place, and
person are activities of...
The aspect of epidemiology concerned with organizing and summarizing health-related
data according to time, place, and person
- involves the study of disease incidence and distribution by TIME, PLACE, and
PERSON
- includes the calculation of rates and identification of parts of the population at higher
risk than others
determinants - ANSWER-any factor, whether event, characteristic, or other definable
entity, that brings about a change in a health condition or other defined characteristic
epidemiologists search for this which are the causes and other factors that influence the
occurrence of disease and other health-related events
determinants (fill in the blank) - ANSWER-Epidemiologists assume that illness does not
occur randomly in a population, but happens only when the right accumulation of risk
factors or ____________ exists in an individual
How do epidemiologists search for determinants? - ANSWER-To search for these
determinants, epidemiologists use ANALYTIC EPIDEMIOLOGY or EPIDEMIOLOGICAL
STUDIES to provide the "WHY" and "HOW" of such events. They assess whether
GROUPS with different rates of disease DIFFER IN their demographic characteristics,
genetic or immunologic make-up, behaviors, environmental exposures, or other so-
,called potential RISK FACTORS. Ideally, the findings provide sufficient evidence to
direct prompt and effective public health control and prevention measures.
epidemics, endemic, non-communicable, chronic diseases, genetic, health-related
states or events - ANSWER-Epidemiology was originally focused exclusively on
__________ of communicable diseases but was subsequently expanded to address
__________ communicable diseases and ____-___________ infectious diseases. By
the middle of the 20th Century, additional epidemiological methods had been developed
and applied to _________ _________, injuries, birth defects, maternal-child health,
occupational health, and environmental health. Then epidemiologists began to look at
behaviors related to health and well-being, such as amount of exercise and seat belt
use. Now, with the recent explosion in molecular methods, epidemiologists can make
important strides in examining ________ markers of disease risk. Indeed, the term
________-________ ______ or _______ may be seen as anything that affects the well-
being of a population. Nonetheless, many epidemiologists still use the term "disease" as
shorthand for the wide range of health-related states and events that are studied.
Epidemics - ANSWER-Occurrences of diseases in which many people in the same
place at the same time are affected
communicable disease - ANSWER-a disease that is spread from one host to another
endemic - ANSWER-(adj.) native or confined to a particular region or people;
characteristic of or prevalent in a field
non-communicable disease - ANSWER-A disease that cannot be spread from person to
person
individual, community - ANSWER-While a clinician is concerned about the health of an
__________, the epidemiologist is concerned about the collective health of the people
in a _____________
specified populations - ANSWER-For example, when a patient with diarrheal disease
presents, both are interested in establishing the correct diagnosis. However, while the
CLINICIAN usually focuses on treating and caring for the INDIVIDUAL, while the
EPIDEMIOLOGIST focuses on identifying the exposure or SOURCE that CAUSED the
illness; the number of other persons who may have been similarly exposed; the
potential for further spread in the community; and interventions to prevent additional
cases or recurrences.
What part of the definition of epidemiology does this explain?
application - ANSWER-Epidemiology is not just "the study of" health in a population; it
also involves applying the knowledge gained by the studies to community-based
practice. Like the practice of medicine, the practice of epidemiology is both a science
and an art. To make the proper diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment for a
, patient, the clinician COMBINES medical (scientific) KNOWLEDGE WITH
EXPERIENCE, clinical judgment, and understanding of the patient. Similarly, the
epidemiologist uses the scientific methods of descriptive and analytic epidemiology as
well as experience, epidemiological judgment, and understanding of local conditions in
"diagnosing" the health of a community and proposing appropriate, practical, and
acceptable public health interventions to control and prevent disease in the community.
What part of the definition of epidemiology does this explain?
study, distribution, determinants, health-related states and events, specified
populations, application - ANSWER-Overall, epidemiology is the _______ (scientific,
systematic, data-driven) of the ____________ (frequency, pattern) and __________
(causes, risk factors) of _______-_________ ______ ____ _______ (not just diseases)
in ________ _______ (patient is community, individuals viewed collectively), and the
________ of (since epidemiology is a discipline within public health) this study to the
control of health problems.
determinants (food histories) - ANSWER-Compare food histories between persons with
Staphylococcus food poisoning and those without.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
determinants (brain cancer) - ANSWER-Compare frequency of brain cancer among
anatomists with frequency in general population.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
distribution (hazardous waste site) - ANSWER-Mark on a map the residences of all
children born with birth defects within 2 miles of a hazardous waste site.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
distribution (graph # of cases) - ANSWER-Graph the number of cases of congenital
syphilis by year for the country.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
application (Rifampin) - ANSWER-Recommend that close contacts of a child recently
reported with meningococcal meningitis receive Rifampin.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
distribution (Cincinnati, Ohio) - ANSWER-Tabulate the frequency of clinical signs,
symptoms, and laboratory findings among children with chickenpox in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Would this describe distribution, determinants, or application?
