Community Public Health Nursing 7th Edition Nies Test Bank
Chapter 05: Epidemiology
Nies: Community/Public Health Nursing, 7th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. An epidemiologist has written a summary of a food poisoning outbreak, including its cause
and ways to prevent it from occurring in the future. Which best describes what has been done?
a. Analytic epidemiology
b. Descriptive epidemiology
c. Prospective cohort study
d. Retrospective cross-sectional survey
ANS: B
There are two principal types of epidemiology: (1) analytic epidemiology and (2) descriptive
epidemiology. Descriptive epidemiology describes the amount and distribution of disease,
which may suggest possible causes. These causes can then be confirmed or corrected through
more advanced methods of research. Analytic epidemiology investigates the causes of disease
by determining why a disease rate is lower in one population group than another. A
prospective cohort study monitors a group of disease-free individuals to determine whether
and when disease occurs. Retrospective studies compare individuals with a particular
condition or disease and those who do not have the disease.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
2. Two brothers played with their cousin. One brother later became quite ill, whereas the other
did not. Which provides the bNestRexpI
lanaGtionBf.
oC
r thiM
s occurrence?
a. Difference in length of timU S N
e exposed T O
b. Difference in how actively the children played
c. Difference in genetic inheritance between the two brothers
d. Difference in lifestyle between the two brothers
ANS: C
Assuming the two brothers lived in the same household, the environment and the agent or
infectious organisms are the same. The only difference could be between the two brothers
themselves and their genetic inheritance.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
3. In which circumstance would it be more helpful to use the wheel model of epidemiology than
the epidemiological triangle model?
a. When factors outside the triangle model are involved
b. When there are multiple causes for a chronic disease
c. When research has not yet determined the exact cause
d. When trying to explain the situation to a lay person
ANS: B
The epidemiological triangle model of agent-host-environment is very useful, especially with
single-cause infectious diseases. However, with the multiple factors involved in chronic
diseases, the wheel model is more useful in analyzing and identifying the multiple variables.
, Community Public Health Nursing 7th Edition Nies Test Bank
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
4. Which best describes the importance of discovering all of the variables that may be involved
in creating a disease state in some persons?
a. People want an explanation of why they are ill.
b. Knowing causes helps obtain funds for research to try to create a cure.
c. Finding variables that are susceptible to prevention or early intervention is
important.
d. It is important to educate communities on how to avoid any risk factors.
ANS: C
Identifying risk factors is critical to creating or discovering specific prevention and
intervention approaches that reduce chronic disease morbidity and mortality. Because some
risk factors cannot be avoided, knowing other risk factors involved allows for more
possibilities of preventing the problem. These variables need to be identified first so that
health care providers are able to provide an explanation to persons as to why they are ill,
obtain funding for research for the problem, and educate the community about the avoidance
of the known risk factors.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
5. Which best describes the advantage of the web of causation model in comparison with the
epidemiological triangle model?
a. The web of causation model is easier to understand and use.
b. The web of causation model is more widely known and publicized.
c. The web of causation model is more recent and current.
d. The web of causation model shows the relationships among variables.
N R I G B.C M
ANS: D
U S N T O
Although it is a more recently created model, the web of causation model is more useful
because it illustrates the complexity of relationships among causable variables. It is not easier
to understand and use as it has more variables than the three (agent, host, and environment) in
the epidemiological model.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
6. Which has been determined to be a major variable in transmission of sexually transmitted
infections?
a. The pathogenesis of the involved agents
b. The susceptibility of the host
c. The environment in which the hosts live
d. The amount of sex education provided in the schools
ANS: C
The researchers concluded that ecosocial or contextual conditions strongly enhance sexually
transmitted infection risk by increasing sexual risk behaviors and likelihood of exposure to
infection. Thus, the environment has been determined to be a more important variable in
sexually transmitted infections than the pathogenesis, susceptibility, and the amount of sex
education provided.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
Chapter 05: Epidemiology
Nies: Community/Public Health Nursing, 7th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. An epidemiologist has written a summary of a food poisoning outbreak, including its cause
and ways to prevent it from occurring in the future. Which best describes what has been done?
a. Analytic epidemiology
b. Descriptive epidemiology
c. Prospective cohort study
d. Retrospective cross-sectional survey
ANS: B
There are two principal types of epidemiology: (1) analytic epidemiology and (2) descriptive
epidemiology. Descriptive epidemiology describes the amount and distribution of disease,
which may suggest possible causes. These causes can then be confirmed or corrected through
more advanced methods of research. Analytic epidemiology investigates the causes of disease
by determining why a disease rate is lower in one population group than another. A
prospective cohort study monitors a group of disease-free individuals to determine whether
and when disease occurs. Retrospective studies compare individuals with a particular
condition or disease and those who do not have the disease.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
2. Two brothers played with their cousin. One brother later became quite ill, whereas the other
did not. Which provides the bNestRexpI
lanaGtionBf.
oC
r thiM
s occurrence?
a. Difference in length of timU S N
e exposed T O
b. Difference in how actively the children played
c. Difference in genetic inheritance between the two brothers
d. Difference in lifestyle between the two brothers
ANS: C
Assuming the two brothers lived in the same household, the environment and the agent or
infectious organisms are the same. The only difference could be between the two brothers
themselves and their genetic inheritance.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
3. In which circumstance would it be more helpful to use the wheel model of epidemiology than
the epidemiological triangle model?
a. When factors outside the triangle model are involved
b. When there are multiple causes for a chronic disease
c. When research has not yet determined the exact cause
d. When trying to explain the situation to a lay person
ANS: B
The epidemiological triangle model of agent-host-environment is very useful, especially with
single-cause infectious diseases. However, with the multiple factors involved in chronic
diseases, the wheel model is more useful in analyzing and identifying the multiple variables.
, Community Public Health Nursing 7th Edition Nies Test Bank
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
4. Which best describes the importance of discovering all of the variables that may be involved
in creating a disease state in some persons?
a. People want an explanation of why they are ill.
b. Knowing causes helps obtain funds for research to try to create a cure.
c. Finding variables that are susceptible to prevention or early intervention is
important.
d. It is important to educate communities on how to avoid any risk factors.
ANS: C
Identifying risk factors is critical to creating or discovering specific prevention and
intervention approaches that reduce chronic disease morbidity and mortality. Because some
risk factors cannot be avoided, knowing other risk factors involved allows for more
possibilities of preventing the problem. These variables need to be identified first so that
health care providers are able to provide an explanation to persons as to why they are ill,
obtain funding for research for the problem, and educate the community about the avoidance
of the known risk factors.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
5. Which best describes the advantage of the web of causation model in comparison with the
epidemiological triangle model?
a. The web of causation model is easier to understand and use.
b. The web of causation model is more widely known and publicized.
c. The web of causation model is more recent and current.
d. The web of causation model shows the relationships among variables.
N R I G B.C M
ANS: D
U S N T O
Although it is a more recently created model, the web of causation model is more useful
because it illustrates the complexity of relationships among causable variables. It is not easier
to understand and use as it has more variables than the three (agent, host, and environment) in
the epidemiological model.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
6. Which has been determined to be a major variable in transmission of sexually transmitted
infections?
a. The pathogenesis of the involved agents
b. The susceptibility of the host
c. The environment in which the hosts live
d. The amount of sex education provided in the schools
ANS: C
The researchers concluded that ecosocial or contextual conditions strongly enhance sexually
transmitted infection risk by increasing sexual risk behaviors and likelihood of exposure to
infection. Thus, the environment has been determined to be a more important variable in
sexually transmitted infections than the pathogenesis, susceptibility, and the amount of sex
education provided.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
