13. Epidemiology

Question 1

the study of the occurrence and distribution of health-related states or events in specified populations

Answer 1

epidemiology

Question 2

seeks to describe the occurrence of a disease in terms of person, place, and time (who, what, and where)

Answer 2

descriptive epidemiology

Question 3

factors, exposures, characteristics, behaviors, and contexts that determine (or influence) the patterns of events (how and why)

Answer 3

determinant

Question 4

focuses on investigating the cause and association (how all aspects affect health)

Answer 4

analytic epidemiology

Question 5

broad consideration of many levels of potential determinants

Answer 5

ecological approach

Question 6

determine who has the disease and where and when the disease occurs`

Answer 6

distribution

Question 7

occurs when the rate of disease, injury, or other condition exceeds the usual (endemic) level of that condition

Answer 7

epidemic

Question 8

4 basic concepts in epidemiology

Answer 8

• measures morbidity and mortality
• epidemiological triable, web of causality, and the ecologic model
• social epidemiology
• levels of preventive interventions

Question 9

morbidity vs mortality

Answer 9

• morbidity: disease rates

- mortality: death rates

Question 10

ratio where the denominator includes the numerator and expressed as a percent

Answer 10

proportion

Question 11

measure the frequency of health events in a defined population and usually in a specific time

Answer 11

rate

Question 12

probability that an event will occur within a specified period of time

Answer 12

risk

Question 13

proportion of persons who are exposed to an agent and develop the disease

Answer 13

attack rate

Question 14

new cases in a population at a specific time

Answer 14

incidence

Question 15

number of existing disease in a population at a specific time (new + old)

Answer 15

prevalence

Question 16

What factors affect prevalence?

Answer 16

• incidence (new cases) add to the prevalence

- people who either recover or die from the disease are removed from prevalence

Question 17

model that spans a broader spectrum of systems and etiological factors; includes biological, mental, behavioral, social, and environmental factors

Answer 17

ecologic model

Question 18

studies social distribution and social determinants of health and disease

Answer 18

social epidemiology

Question 19

What social determinants does social epidemiology examine?

Answer 19

• neighborhoods
• communities
• employment
• family conditions

Question 20

Ex. of primary prevention

Answer 20

• safe air and water
• car seats/seat belts
• folic acid supplements in pregnancy

Question 21

Ex. of secondary prevention

Answer 21

• health screenings

- family Hx (identify if at risk)

Question 22

Ex. of tertiary prevention

Answer 22

• medical treatments
• physical and occupational therapy
• rehabilitation

Question 23

the measure of consistency of a screening tool

Answer 23

reliability

Question 24

does the screening tool measure what we really think it does

Answer 24

validity

Question 25

indicates how accurate the test identifies those with the condition or traits; true positive

Answer 25

sensitivity

Question 26

indicates how accurate the test identifies those without the condition or traits; true negative

Answer 26

specificity

Question 27

How is epidemiological data collected?

Answer 27

through surveys (ex. national hospital discharge data and youth behavioral risk surveys)

Question 28

4 ways to measure time in descriptive epidemiology

Answer 28

• secular trends (long term patterns that can reflect social behavior or health practices)
• point epidemic (time and space related pattern)
• cyclical pattern (ex. seasonal fluctuation like the flu)
• event-related clusters (measured from point of exposure or event)

Question 29

how to find a rate

Answer 29

rate = event/population x constant