Question 1

Which of the following best distinguishes the medical approach from the public health approach to disease prevention?

Accepted Answer

The medical approach focuses on treating individuals after disease occurs, while the public health approach emphasizes preventing disease in populations before it arises.

Question 2

A new vaccine is introduced to eliminate a viral disease. After several years, no new cases are reported globally, but the virus is still present in laboratory samples. According to public health terminology, what has been achieved?

Accepted Answer

Disease elimination

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a social determinant of health (SDOH)?

Accepted Answer

Access to quality education

Question 4

A case-control study finds that smokers are 4 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers. What is the relative risk ($RR$) if the incidence in smokers is $0.08$ and in non-smokers is $0.02$?

Accepted Answer

$RR = \frac{0.08}{0.02} = 4$

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the concept of 'confounding' in epidemiological studies?

Accepted Answer

A third variable is associated with both the exposure and the outcome, potentially distorting the observed relationship.

Question 6

Which of the following is a key difference between incidence and prevalence?

Accepted Answer

Incidence measures new cases over a period of time, while prevalence measures all existing cases at a specific point in time.

Question 7

A public health campaign uses the following steps: Problem identification, Evidence review, Implementation, and Evaluation. Which step is missing from the standard evidence-based approach?

Accepted Answer

Recommendation

Question 8

Which federal agency is primarily responsible for regulating food and drug safety in the United States?

Accepted Answer

FDA

Question 9

A study finds that people living in neighborhoods with more green spaces have lower rates of depression, even after adjusting for income and education. This finding best illustrates which concept?

Accepted Answer

Social determinants of health

Question 10

Which of the following best describes 'passive surveillance' in public health?

Accepted Answer

Health authorities receive reports of disease cases from healthcare providers without actively seeking them.

Question 11

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) is designed to test a new drug. Which feature of the RCT helps prevent bias by ensuring neither participants nor researchers know who receives the treatment?

Accepted Answer

Blinding

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of analytic epidemiology?

Accepted Answer

A cohort study comparing disease rates between exposed and unexposed groups

Question 13

A 2 x 2 table is used in epidemiology to display the relationship between exposure and disease. What does the cell in the top left typically represent?

Accepted Answer

Exposed individuals who have the disease

Question 14

Which of the following is the best example of 'herd immunity'?

Accepted Answer

A high percentage of a population is vaccinated, reducing the spread of disease even among unvaccinated individuals.

Question 15

Which of the following is a correct definition of 'morbidity'?

Accepted Answer

The state of being diseased or unhealthy within a population

Question 16

A public health official wants to measure the risk of developing a disease over a specific period. Which measure should they use?

Accepted Answer

Incidence

Question 17

Which of the following is a key feature of evidence-based public health practice?

Accepted Answer

Decisions are made using the best available scientific evidence.

Question 18

Which of the following best describes 'syndromic surveillance'?

Accepted Answer

Monitoring health data in real time to detect outbreaks based on symptom patterns rather than confirmed diagnoses.

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of a determinant of health?

Accepted Answer

Access to clean water

Question 20

A study finds that people who take a certain medication have a lower risk of heart disease, but the study did not account for physical activity. What is the most likely source of error?

Accepted Answer

Confounding

Public Health and Epidemiology: Study Guide and Key Concepts

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