Epidemiology Quiz 1 Flashcards
Disease Determination
Factors that cause either a healthy person to become sick or a sick person to recover.
Public Health
A multidisciplinary field whose goal is to promote the health of populations through organized community efforts.
Disease Frequency
A measure that quantifies how often a disease occurs in a population.
Population
A group of people with a common characteristic.
Disease Distribution
The pattern of disease according to the characteristics of person, place, and time
Disease Control
The ultimate aim of epidemiology and refers to the reduction and elimination of disease occurrence.
Epidemiology
The study of the distribution and determinants of disease frequency in human population and the application of this study to control health problems.
Hypothesis
A tentative explanation for an observation, a phenomenon, or a scientific problem that can be tested by further investigation.
What is the primary difference between public health and medicine?
Public health focuses on preventing diseases in communities and medicine focuses on treating diseases at the individual level.
What public health achievements have accounted for improved life expectancy in the United States over the past century?
Public health achievements that have improved life expectancy include the routine use of vaccinations for infectious diseases, improved sanitation and clean water, modification of risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke, improved access to family planning and contraceptive services, and antismoking campaigns.
What are the main objectives of epidemiology?
The main objectives of epidemiology are to study the natural course of disease , determine the extent of disease in a population ,identify patterns and trends in disease occurrence, identify the causes of disease , and evaluate the effectiveness of measures that prevent and treat disease .
How do epidemiologists quantify the disease frequency in a population?
Epidemiologists quantify the frequency of disease by developing a definition of the disease , instituting a mechanism for counting cases of disease within a population , and determining the size of that population . It is only when the number of cases are related to the size of the population that we know the true frequency of disease.
Who conducted one of the earliest experimental studies on the treatment of scurvy among sailors?
James Lind conducted one of the earliest experimental studies on the treatment of scurvy among sailors. He found that the consumption of oranges and lemons was the most effective remedy for scurvy in this population.
What did John Graunt summarize?
John Graunt summarized the patterns of mortality in 17th-century London and discovered the regularity of deaths and births.
What did William Farr compile?
William Farr compiled Statistical Abstracts in Great Britain from 1839 through 1880. He pioneered many activities encompassed by modern epidemiology, including the calculation of mortality rates using census data for denominators.
What did John Snow discover in 19th-century London?
John Snow conducted one of the first observational studies in the neighborhoods of 19th-century London and discovered that contaminated drinking water was the cause of cholera.
Who conducted groundbreaking studies on cigarette smoking and lung cancer in the 1950s?
Richard Doll and Austin Bradford Hill conducted groundbreaking studies on cigarette smoking and lung cancer in the 1950s.
How are the many subspecialties of modern epidemiology typically defined?
The correct answer is: Today’s subspecialties are defi ned in terms of the exposure (e.g.,environmental exposures), the disease (e.g., cancer), and the population being studied (e.g., the elderly).
In which three directions has modern epidemiological research expanded?
Modern epidemiology examines risk factors at the molecular level (e.g.,biological markers of exposure, genetic markers), the societal level (e.g., social factors such as racism), and across the life span (from birth through old age).
