Epidemiology Flashcards
What is the definition of prevalence?
measure of the total number of people in a specific group who have (or had) a certain disease, condition, or risk factor (such as smoking or obesity) at a specific point in time or during a given period of time.
In a Cohort study, do you use risk ratio or odds ratio?
Risk Ratios (Entire population at risk is in the study}.
In a Case Control study, do you use a risk ratio or odds ratio?
Odds Ratio (Entire population at risk is not in the study)
What is the equation for the odds ratio?
ad/bc
What is the risk ratio?
Risk Among the Exposed/Risk Among the Unexposed
What is the equation for the risk exposed?
a/a+b
What is the equation for the risk unexposed?
c/c+d
What is point prevalence?
Subjects with at disease at a point in time/Population at the same time
What is period prevalence?
Subjects with a disease for a given time interval/Population at mid-interval
A+C/A+B+C+D
Attack Rate = Period Prevalence during epidemic
When do you use case control studies?
They seek to identify possible predictors of outcome and are useful for studying rare diseases or outcomes. They are often used to generate hypotheses that can then be studied via prospective cohort or other studies.
How should you select controls?
Should be representative of the population from which one got the cases at the same level of exposure.
What are the three main types of observational study designs?
- cohort studies
- case–control studies
- cross-sectional studies
What is a 2X2 Table for Disease and Disease Testing
What is the 2X2 Table to Determine the Truth in the Population
Using a 2X2 Table to Determine the Type 1 Error Rate
Using a 2X2 Table to Determine the Type 2 Error Rate
Using a 2X2 Table to Determine the Power of a Test
True or False: Prevalence is a measure of Morbidity.
True (Prevalence is water in a bucket)
How do you determine the probability or risk in a case control study?
Number of times something occurs/# possible occurrences
OR
Odds/(1+Odds)
How do you determine the Odds in a case control study?
Number of times something occurs/# of times it does not
OR
Probability/(1-probability)
How do you calculate the Odds Ratio in a Case Control Study and how do you interpret it?
OR = ad/bc
1 = Same
>1 = Greater among cases
<1 = Less among cases
What is the Ecologic Fallacy?
Formal fallacy in the interpretation of statistical data that occurs when inferences about individual are gleaned from the group to which they belong.
Name 5 Ways to Avoid Confounding/Bias
1) Stratification
2) Randomization (not possible in observational studies)
3) Restriction (one group)
4) Matching (similar groups)
5) Multivariate Analysis
What is a cohort study?
Defined population at risk AND when possible to get data from all members or a representative sample of the cohort.
How do you measure prevalence in a cohort study?
Number of ILL subjects/Total population at risk during at a particular point in time
What is the risk or attack rate?
Number of ILL people/number of people at risk
Exposed+ILL/Exposed
How does one measure the risk ratio in a cohort study and how do you interpret it?
Risk Exposed/Risk of Non-exposed
RR = 1 no association
RR = >1 exposure positively related
RR = <1 exposure negatively related
What is confounding?
A variable that influences both the dependent variable and independent variable, causing a spurious association.
Associated with the outcome (is a risk factor for the disease)
AND Associated with the exposure, but is not a result of the exposure (is not on the causal pathway from exposure to outcome).
What is effect modification?
The association between the exposure and the disease is different for different levels of a third variable. In other words, the effect of the exposure on the disease is modified by the third variable. Effect modification is a finding to be reported, not a bias to be eliminated; it is a “natural phenomenon” that exists independently of the study design.
In a stratified analysis how do you know if you have confounding or effect modification?
EM = Stratum specific measures are different from one another and the crude falls between them (REPORT SS)
Confounding = stratum specific measures are similar and at least 10% different from the crude and it does not fall between them. (REPORT ADJUSTED MEASURE)
IF NOTHING IS A COVARIABLE = REPORT CRUDE
What is the relative risk when it comes to vaccine epidemiology (Exposed means unvaccinated)?
Risk Exposed/Risk Unexposed
What is the attributable risk or risk difference when it comes to vaccine epidemiology (Exposed means unvaccinated)?
Risk Exposed - Risk Unexposed X 100
What is the attributable fraction in vaccine epidemiology?
RR-1/RR
How do you calculated vaccine efficacy?
RU - RV/RU X 100
Please review the following example of vaccine efficacy 2X2 table and equations.
Name the quality of data sources in descending order.
- Meta Analysis
- Randomized clinical trial
- Cohort study
- Case Control Study
- Cross- Sectional Analysis
- Case Reports or Studies
- Mechanistic Studies
- Editorials or expert opinions
What is the Basic Reproductive Number (R0)
Average number of secondary cases produced by each case in a totally susceptible population. How fast a disease occurs in a population.
R0 = CXPXD
D = duration of infectiousness of the case
C = number of contacts made per unit of time
P = probability of transmission/contact event
What is the net reproduction number (R)?
The average number of secondary cases per case in a population where not all of the individuals are susceptible.
What does the value of the R0 mean/determine?
> 1 = an epidemic will occur
<1 = an epidemic will not occur
3 = almost all hosts will be infected
What is the equation to determine the level of vaccination coverage to end an outbreak or prevent one (level of herd immunity)?
Herd Immunity = {1-1/R0}
How do you calculate the Herd Immunity Threshold?
HIT = R0-1/R0
What is the herd immunity threshold?
Proportion of the population that has to be immune in order for a disease to be static. If the immune number exceeds this level, the net R0 is less than 1, the disease will die out.
Review this example of a HIT calculation.
R0 for measles in a completely susceptible population is 11.
HIT = (11-1)/11 = 91% (must be immune for disease to stabilize)
What is the latent period?
Time from infection until the individual can transmit the infection
What is the infectious period?
Time that the individual can transmit the infection
What is the incubation period?
Time from infection to the development of symptoms.
What is vaccine efficacy?
Percent reduction in the disease in optimal settings
VE = 1- relative risk of getting disease among the vaccinated
What is vaccine effectiveness?
Ability to prevent disease in the real world (host factors, mode of delivery)
What is vaccine coverage?
Percent of the population vaccinated (access, education, hesitancy)
What is the prevented fraction in vaccinology?
What are the categorical measures of occurrence?
Frequencies = Percentages/Proportions
- Incidence = New cases in a specified time/population
- Prevalence = All cases/population
- Odds = Cases/non-cases
What are the continuous measures of occurence?
- Means = average
- Median = middle
- Standard Deviation/Error = The average extent to which occurrences deviate from the mean
What are the measures of effect?
Relative Risk
- Risk/Rate Ratio
Incidence in exposed/unexposed
- Odds Ratio
Cohort: Odds of outcome in exposed/odds of outcome in
unexposed
Case Control: Odds of exposure in cases/odd of exposure
in controls
- Risk Difference (attributable risk)
Incidence in one population - another population
What is a confidence interval?
Level of certainty that the true mean/proportion lies within the calculated sample interval