IQ1: Measuring Health Status

Question 1

Epidemiology

Answer 1

The study of disease in groups or populations through the collection of data and information, to identify patterns and causes

Question 2

Prevalence

Answer 2

The number of cases of disease that exists in a defined population at a point in time

Question 3

Incidence

Answer 3

The number of new cases of disease occurring in a defined population over a period of time

Question 4

What can epidemiology tell us?

Answer 4

Evidence based understanding of health status of a population which enables decisions to be made by various groups

Question 5

Who uses the measures of epidemiology

Answer 5

• government ( allocate funds and resources)
• hospitals (prioritise health problems, provide specific health information to patients)
• department of education ( teaches students about health, targets prevention, implements policies_
• health organisations / researchers ( patterns of ill health, injury and death

Question 6

Limitations of epidemiology

Answer 6

• do not allow any show the significant variation in the health status among population subgroups
• statistics tell us little about the degree and impact of illness ( level of stress, impairment)
• so not account for health determinants ( the social, economic, environmental and cultural factors that shape health_

Question 7

Mortality

Answer 7

Refers to the number of deaths in a given population from a particular case and/or over a period of time

Question 8

Infant mortality

Answer 8

The number of infant deaths in the first year of life per 1000 live births

Question 9

Morbidity

Answer 9

Patterns of illness, disease and injury that do not result in death

Question 10

Life expectancy

Answer 10

The length of time a person can expect to live. More specifically, it refers to the average number of years of life remaining to a person at a particular age, based on surrender death rates