EPIDEMIOLOGYÐICS

Question 1

Describe a cohort study.

Answer 1

Examines a group of subjects exposed to a certain risk factor/situation. Can be prospective (exposed and then followed over time) or retrospective (examines exposed group in whom disease has already occurred.)

Question 2

Conclusion of a cohort study

Answer 2

Relative risk

Question 3

Describe a case-control study

Answer 3

Retrospectively compares a group with disease to healthy controls. Frequency of certain exposures in both groups considered.

Question 4

Conclusion of a case-control study

Answer 4

Odds ratio

Question 5

Disadvantages of a case-control study

Answer 5

Recall and selection bias

Question 6

Describe a cross-sectional study

Answer 6

Estimates disease PREVALENCE following exposure

Question 7

What the heck is a “length” bias?

Answer 7

Screening test detects SLOWLY progressive diseases and MISSES rapidly progressive diseases, thus overestimating the effectiveness of a screening test.

Question 8

What is the publication bias?

Answer 8

The idea that studies that SHOW a difference are more likely to be published compared to studies that end up supporting the null hypothesis. The issue that comes in is meta-analyses will then only include these studies, and not include ALL studies, including the ones that supported the null hypothesis.

Question 9

Self-selection bias

Answer 9

The idea that patients with a certain medical history (think: histrionic) are more likely to participate in a study. Thus, the study isn’t representative of the general population.

Question 10

Relative risk equation

Answer 10

Disease in exposed/disease in unexposed.

Question 11

RR=1

Answer 11

No relationship between exposure and disease

Question 12

Odds ratio equation

Answer 12

Odds of exposure in diseased/odds of exposure in healthy.

Question 13

Odds ratio is most accurate as an estimate of relative risk in cases of .. ?

Answer 13

Rare disease.

Question 14

Attributable risk equation

Answer 14

Rate of disease in exposed population - rate of disease in unexposed population.

Question 15

Positive likelihood ratio

Answer 15

Sensitivity/(1-specificity)

Question 16

Negative likelihood ratio

Answer 16

(1-sensitivity)/specificity

Question 17

Type I error

Answer 17

False positive

Question 18

Type II error

Answer 18

False negative

Question 19

Conditions that mimic brain death

Answer 19

Metabolic encephalopathy, hypothermia, locked in syndrome, guillain barre

Question 20

What is the prudent person rule

Answer 20

Physician must provide info to a patient that a reasonable person would want before he/she makes a decision about tx. Need to tell pts dx, risks, expected benefits, alternative tx, costs.

Question 21

What is respondeat superior

Answer 21

Physicians are responsible for those who work under their supervision for acts that occur within scope of employment

Question 22

What is the stark act

Answer 22

Prohibits phtiscian referrals to entity that physician has financial relationship with

Question 23

res ipsa locquitor

Answer 23

Clear wrongdoing with no fault of patient. Doc needs to now prove the patients injury was not caused by negligence.

Question 24

Res judicata

Answer 24

Case decided in another lawsuit

Question 25

Failure to mitigate

Answer 25

Patient should take reasonable steps to avoid or reduce injury, like PT

Question 26

Promising to cure a patient is an example of

Answer 26

breach of contract

Question 27

Altered/destroyed medical records in an example of

Answer 27

inference of guilt

Question 28

duty to report deaths withhin how long

Answer 28

24-72 hrs

Question 29

Who enforces drug sales and distribution and ensures that they are safe for the public

Answer 29

FDA, an agency with department of HHS

Question 30

What is the doctrine of professional discretion

Answer 30

Physician can determine if patient viewing of medical record would be harmful