Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

Question 1

Epidemiology

Answer 1

The study of how disease is distributed in populations and of the factors that influence or determine the distribution of disease.

Question 2

Hippocrates

Answer 2

Father of medicine; credited with departing from supernatural explanations of disease outbreaks. He hypothesized in “On Airs, Waters, and Places” that environmental factors may cause disease

Question 3

John Snow

Answer 3

Father of modern epidemiology; conducted house-to-house research in London during the cholera outbreak in 1854. His research led him to conclude that the cholera was being spread through the water. He removed the handle to the Broad Street pump to end the outbreak.

Question 4

Primary prevention

Answer 4

Preventing disease before it occurs. Examples of primary prevention include vaccination programs, modern sanitation, safe drinking water, and health education.

Question 5

Secondary prevention

Answer 5

Form of prevention that attempts to reduce the progress of disease through early detection and prompt interventions. Example of secondary prevention is cancer screening tests.

Question 6

Tertiary prevention

Answer 6

Focuses on reducing impairment and helping people manage health programs or injuries. The goal being to return them to a state of health. Examples include: physical and occupational therapy.

Question 7

Quantitative

Answer 7

Relating to, measuring, or measured by the quantity/amount of something rather than its quality

Question 8

Ratio

Answer 8

Expression of relationship between two distinct (non-overlapping) groups – something that is binary (yes/no)

Comparing x/y or x:y

Question 9

Proportion

Answer 9

Part of a whole (%),
in which the numerator
is included in the denominator

Comparing x/(x+y)

Question 10

Rate

Answer 10

Expression of frequency with which an event occurs in a defined population

Expressed as # per population (i.e., 100,000)

Question 11

Prevalence

Answer 11

Number of cases of disease in a population. Reported as a percent of the population with disease.

Question 12

Incidence

Answer 12

Number of new cases of disease in a population at risk for disease

Question 13

“At risk” population

Answer 13

Denominator for incidence calculation.

In order to be at risk, an individual must be disease-free, able to get the disease, and alive.

Question 14

Mortality

Answer 14

Number of deaths in a population.
Calculated this way, mortality is a proportion. To make it a rate, you need to convert it to per population (i.e., per 100,000)

Question 15

Case fatality

Answer 15

The number of individuals who die from a specific disease divided by the number of individuals diagnosed with that disease.

A measure of disease severity.