epidemiology exam 1

Question 1

define epidemiology

Answer 1

the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in a specified population and the application of this study to control of health-related problems

Question 2

define frequency

Answer 2

the number of cases in a health-related state or event and its relation to the population

Question 3

what are the two branches of epidemiology

Answer 3

analytic and descriptive epidemiology

Question 3

define pattern

Answer 3

describing health-related states or events by who is experiencing it (person) where the occurrence of the event is highest or lowest (place) and when the state occurs most or least (time)

Question 3

analytic epidemiology

Answer 3

finding and quantifying associations, testing hypotheses, and identifying the causes of the health-related state or event

Question 4

descriptive epidemiology

Answer 4

characterizations of the health-related state or event

Question 5

what does descriptive epi focus on? what are the types of study designs?

Answer 5

person, place, time
cross-sectional studies, ecological studies, and case studies/series

Question 6

what do descriptive epi studies ask? what is the purpose of descriptive epi?

Answer 6

• who, what, where, when
• identify patterns, generate hypotheses, and ask pointed questions

Question 7

what are the types of analytic study design? what do analytic studies ask?

Answer 7

why and how

Question 8

what does analytic epi identify?

Answer 8

causes, risk factors, modes of transmission

Question 9

what are the types of analytic study design

Answer 9

• observational ( cohort, case-control) analytic
• experimental analytic (randomized control trials)

Question 10

for descriptive epi what is looked at for person? place? time?

Answer 10

• person: demographics and behaviors
• place: geographic variation, urban vs. rural differences, clustering at worksites, schools, etc.
• time: annual occurrence, seasonal trends, daily/ hourly infections during a pandemic

Question 11

who is the father of medicine? what did he do?

Answer 11

• hippocrates
• first recorded rational reasons for disease, created the terms epidemic and endemic, emphasized observation of all risk factors

Question 12

what did Hippocrates believe cause disease?

Answer 12

the four humors (blood, phlegm, melancholy, and bile)

Question 13

what is an object that can harbor an infectious agent that can cause disease?

Answer 13

fomite
- Ex: door handle