M101 Term 2 W4 - epidemiology

Question 1

What is the function of epidemiology?

Answer 1

to improve the health of individuals and populations
to provide evidence to guide public health policy and clinical medicine with an overall objective of all health care professionals and all health sciences
To protect, restore and promote health

Question 2

What does collective health involve?

Answer 2

collective action by society
collaborative working between physicians, nurses, engineers, environmental scientists, health educators, social workers, nutritionists, administrators, and an effective partnership with all levels of government

Question 3

In which eight ways does epidemiology guide public health policy and clinical medicine?

Answer 3

it describes the spectrum and extent of disease in the population
it identifies factors that increase or decrease the risk of disease
it looks at the natural history and prognosis of disease
it monitors and predicts disease trends in the population
it provides evidence for developing public health policy and making regulatory decisions
it evaluates the efficacy of preventive and therapeutic interventions
it evaluates public health programme
it evaluates the effectiveness of health services

Question 4

What is the equation for calculating the prevalence of a disease?

Answer 4

No. of existing cases at a specified time
/
No. of persons in the population at that time

Question 5

What is the equation for calculating the incidence rate of a disease?

Answer 5

No. of new cases of a disease in a defined population, within a specified time period
/
No. of persons at risk (or person-time) of developing the disease during that period

Question 6

What are the three different types of prevalences?

Answer 6

Point prevalence
Period prevalence
Lifetime prevalence / cumulative incidence

Question 7

Give an example of a point prevalence q

Answer 7

do you have backache now?

Question 8

Give an example of a period prevalence q

Answer 8

have you had backache in the last 12 months?

Question 9

Give an example of a lifetime prevalence q

Answer 9

have you ever had backache?

Question 10

What are the three factors that descriptive epidemiology takes into account?

Answer 10

person - who
place - where
time - when

Question 11

What are the factors about the person - who in descriptive epidemiology?

Answer 11

age, gender
race and ethnicity
marital and family status
social class / education / occupation

Question 12

What are the factors about the place - where in descriptive epidemiology?

Answer 12

physical environment
ecological environment
social and cultural environment

Question 13

How do we find out about the place - where in descriptive epidemiology?

Answer 13

Disease distribution maps

Clustering in time and place

Question 14

How is time relevant to disease analysis?

Answer 14

Secular (long-term) trends
Short-term trends
Cyclical trends
Seasonal trends / variations

Question 15

What are the two main types of epidemiological studies?

Answer 15

Observational studies

Intervention studies

Question 16

Give four types of observational studies

Answer 16

Ecological (correlation studies)
Cross-sectional (surveys, prevalence studies)
Case–control
Cohort (incidence, longitudinal, follow-up studies)

Question 17

Give three types of intervention studies

Answer 17

Clinical trials
Field trials
Community trials (cluster randomized trial)

Question 18

How are exposure and disease related to eachother?

Answer 18

Epidemiological process - do a trial study

Question 19

Which clinical questions need epidemiology?

Answer 19

Causes
Prevention (early diagnosis/screening)
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis