Public health Flashcards
What is a case control study?
A group with a specific outcome is chosen, and then a group of controls to match are also found and they are analysed against each other.
Name 3 advantages for case control studies.
Good for rare outcomes
Quicker (as they already have the outcome)
Can investigate multiple exposures
Name 2 disadvantages of case control studies.
Difficulties matching cases with controls
Prone to selection and information bias
What is a cohort study?
Takes a group of people with a specific trait. Follows them up over a period of time to see whether they develop a specific outcome.
Name 3 advantages of a cohort study.
Follow up rare exposure
Good for common and multiple outcomes
Less risk of selection and recall bias
Name 3 disadvantages of a cohort study.
Long time
Loss to follow up
Need a large sample size
What is a crossectional study?
Analysis of data from a specific point in time.
Name 4 advantages of a cross sectional study.
Quick and cheap
Data on a single point in time
Large sample size
Good for surveillance and public health planning
Name 3 disadvantages of a cross sectional study.
Risk of reverse causality
Cannot measure incidence
Recall bias and non-response
What is a randomised control trial?
Clinical trials used to control factors which are not usually under direct experimental control
Name 2 advantages of RCT’s
Low risk of bias and confounding
Can infer causality
Name 3 disadvantages of RCT’s
Time consuming
Expensive
Study population may be different to typical patients.
What is selection bias?
Systemic error in selection of study participants. e.g. non-response those who don’t respond to postal surveys more likely to be unwell, elderly, low socioeconomic status etc
What is the health belief model of behaviour change?
Patient believes they are susceptible to the condition (e.g. heart disease)
Believes that it has serious consequences
Believes that taking action reduces susceptibility
Believes that the benefits of taking action outweigh the costs
What are the critiques with the health behaviour model?
Alternative factors may predict health behaviour i.e. if a person feels they will be healthier as a result of their behaviour
This model does not consider the influence of emotions on behaviour
What is the theory of planned behaviour?
Proposes the best predictor of behaviour is the intention to do something
What three things is an intention determined by in the theory of planned behaviour?
Persons attitude to the behaviour
Perceived social pressure to undertake the behaviour
A persons appraisal of their ability to perform the behaviour
What is the transtheoretical model of behaviour change?
It proposes 5 stages of change:
Not ready yet, thinking about it, getting ready, doing it, maintenance.
What are the advantages of the transtheoretical model?
Acknowledges individual stages of readiness
Accounts for relapse
What are the critiques of the transtheoretical model?
Not all people move through every stage.
Change may operate on a continuum rather than in discrete stages
What is the definition of malnutrition?
Deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy or nutrients
What is the definition of primary prevention?
Action takes to prevent disease before it occurs
What is the definition of secondary prevention?
Designed to reduce the progression of a disease/ catch it in the early stages such as a screening programme
What is the definition of tertiary prevention?
Reducing the impact of established disease by reducing disability, minimising suffering and maximising quality of life.
What is equity?
What is fair and just
What is equality?
Concerned with equal shares
What is horizontal equity?
Equal treatment for equal need
What is vertical equity?
Unequal treatment for unequal need. i.e. more funding in areas with poorer health
What are the 2 categories of dimension of health equity?
Spatial (geographical) and social (age, gender, class, ethnicity)
What are the 3 domains of public health practice?
Health improvement
Health protection
Health care
What is health improvement?
Concerned with societal interventions, such as reducing inequalities and increasing access to education
What is health protection?
Concerned with measures to control infectious disease risks and environmental hazards