History and Scope

Question 1

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well being and not merely _______________

Answer 1

the absence of disease or infirmity

Question 2

Public health is the science and art of __________, ______, and _______ through organized efforts of society

Answer 2

preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health

Question 3

What is the study of the occurrence and DISTRIBUTION of health related states or events in specific population, including the study of the DETERMINANTS influencing such state, and the application of this knowledge to CONTROL OF HEALTH PROBLEMS?

Answer 3

Epidemiology

Question 4

What are the 4 key aspects of epidemiology?

Answer 4

Determinants, distribution, population, and health phenomena/problems

Question 5

Determinants are…

Answer 5

Factors or events that are capable of bringing about a change in health

Question 6

Determinants can have a positive effect (risk factor) or alter health status in a positive way (protective factor). Give an example of risk factor and protective factor

Answer 6

Risk factors are can be things that increase a person’s chances of drug abuse (smoking), while protective factors can reduce the risk (physical exercise).

Question 7

Examples of Determinants

Answer 7

Agent (virus), exposure (carcinogens), and social and behavioral risk factor(smoking, obesity).

Question 8

Distribution is important because

Answer 8

it allows us to see the burden of the disease and frequency of disease occurrence.

Question 9

Unlike clinicians, epidemiologist examine health problems among ________ not _____

Answer 9

population groups, not individuals

Question 10

Aims of epidemiology

Answer 10

1. Describe the health status of populations
2. Explain the etiology of disease
3. predict, prevent, and control health problems in populations

Question 11

Epidemiology is

Answer 11

interdisciplinary - draws from many different fields

Question 12

Quantification is a central activity of epidemiology. What two things are typically quantified in epidemiology?

Answer 12

1. Morbidity/mortality a.k.a outcome

2. Determinants aka risk factors or exposure

Question 13

Rather than just counting the cases of disease, one should count what?

Answer 13

the episodes of disease

Question 14

Epidemic

Answer 14

• When there is an EXCESS of expectancy of a particular disease in a community or region
• We need to know the usual amount and its number during a specific time of the year.
• EX: Number of flu cases during winter would not be considered normal during summer.

Question 15

How can we identify the normal level of a disease expectancy level?

Answer 15

Using surveillance or epidemic threshold

Question 16

What is surveillance

Answer 16

a systematic collection of data pertaining to the occurrence of specific diseases. After the collection of data, information will be disseminated to other fields such as health department and clinicians.

Question 17

Epidemic threshold

Answer 17

the minimum number of cases (or deaths) that would support the conclusion that an epidemic was underway.

• If a single case of a disease is considered an epidemic, then the epidemic threshold must be 0.
• An example of this would be small pox, the number epidemic threshold would be 0.

Question 18

Endemic

Answer 18

Habitual presence of a disease within a given geographic area. Meaning, the disease stays below the epidemic threshold.

Question 19

Hyperendemic

Answer 19

When the number of cases from the disease stays very close to the threshold

Question 20

Pandemic

Answer 20

An epidemic on a large scale. When a large number of people may be affected and a disease may cross international borders.

Question 21

According to WHO’s definition of pandemic, the disease must sustain community level outbreaks in _________ in one WHO region and in at least ______

Answer 21

one or more countries; one other country in another WHO region.

Question 22

What is the first reported pandemic in history?

Answer 22

the Black Death (plague)

Question 23

What disease claimed one quarter to one third of population of Europe and when did it occur?

Answer 23

Plague; 1346-1352

Question 24

When was the latest plague outbreak and where did it occur?

Answer 24

Madagascar in Aug- Dec of 2017

Question 25

The 1918 influenza Pandemic had what percentage of case fatality?

Answer 25

2.5% in comparison to the usual 0.1%

Question 26

How many people died from 1918 influenza world wide?

Answer 26

50-100 million

Question 27

What is case fatality?

Answer 27

The percentage of people who died and had the disease

Question 28

What is the virus that caused the 2009 Influenza and how many countries were affected?

Answer 28

Novel H1N1 strain and swine flu; over 214 countries

Question 29

Why did people panic about Ebola?

Answer 29

Because of the high case of fatality rate. According to WHO, it was calculated to be close to 50%.

Question 30

What was Hippocrates known for?

Answer 30

He held the belief that illness had a physical and rational explanation rather than the supernatural explanations of disease causation.

Question 31

• Who was the founder of science of demography, the study of human populations?
• He also recorded seasonal variations in births and deaths.
• Showed excess male over female differences in mortality

Answer 31

John Graunt

Question 32

He investigated a cholera outbreak in London and linked it with contaminated water supplies

Answer 32

John Snow

Question 33

What technique did John Snow used to do his observation?

Answer 33

1. GIS technique -lets us visualize, question, analyze, and interpret data to understand relationships, patterns, and trends.
2. He used a spot map of cases and tabulation of fatal deaths and linked water pump that was supplying contaminated water with cholera.

Question 34

What is natural experiement

Answer 34

When an epidemiologist does not manipulate a risk factor but rather OBSERVES the changes in an outcome as the result of a naturally occurring situation..

Question 35

Natural experiments may be the result of what?

Answer 35

Legislation, policy changes or environmental interventions.