Introduction

Question 1

WHO definition of health

Answer 1

a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

Question 2

Issues with WHO definition of health

Answer 2

• a lot has changed since 1948
• definition is achievable
• we associate health with needing medical treatments

Question 3

Leading cause of death in 1948

Answer 3

• cancer
• heart disease

Question 4

Leading cause of death nowadays

Answer 4

Dementia

Question 5

Define population health

Answer 5

The health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within a group

Question 6

Examples of groups

Answer 6

• countries
• gender
• age

Question 7

Examples of outcomes

Answer 7

• life expectancy
• heart disease
• quality of life
• morbidity

Question 8

Examples of distribution

Answer 8

• income
• education
• occupation

Question 9

Define count

Answer 9

Actual number of events

Question 10

Why is proportion a better measure to take than a count?

Answer 10

Population sizes between groups are different so it’s better to view in the form of percentages

Question 11

Define a ratio

Answer 11

Relationship between two measures

Question 12

Define the crude rate

Answer 12

Applied to the total population in a given area

Question 13

Define the specific rate

Answer 13

Applied to specific subgroups population e.g. age, sex… or specific conditions

Question 14

Define standardised rates

Answer 14

Used to permit comparison of rates in the population in which differ in structure e.g. age structure

Question 15

Define rate

Answer 15

The frequency with which an event occurs in a defined population, usually in a specified period of time

Question 16

Define prevalence

Answer 16

Frequency of existing cases in a defined population at a given point in time

Question 17

How do we measure prevalence?

Answer 17

All person with a condition/total population at risk

Question 18

Define incidence

Answer 18

Number of new events in a defined population within a specified period of time

Question 19

Why are incidences important?

Answer 19

Tells us the rate at which new conditions occur in a defined, previously condition-free group of people

Question 20

How do we measure incidence?

Answer 20

Number of new cases/ total population at risk x 100,000

Question 21

What are the links between incidence and prevalence?

Answer 21

• if incidence is low but the duration is long, prevalence rises
• if incidence is high but the duration is short, prevalence is stable