Risk Assessment

Question 1

Define risk and further explain the difference between modifiable risks and non-modifiable risks

Answer 1

• Risk (Portion of initially disease free who develop disease)
  (New/Disease free at start)
• Modifiable risk (can change)
• Non-modifiable risk (can’t change)

Question 2

List the modifiable risk factors and non-modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Answer 2

Modifiable

• Avoidance of Tobacco Use
• Increased Physical Activity/regular exercise
• Diet low in saturated fats and low glycemic index foods
• Alcohol avoidance or limitation

Non-modifiable

• Access to fresh foods (your zip code)
• Age
• Gender/sex
• Genetics
• Family
• Birthplace

Question 3

Absolute risk

Answer 3

• INCIDENT rate or mortality rate of disease
• Does not involve comparison
• Does not tell us excess or decreased risk of disease associated with exposure

Question 4

Relative risk

Answer 4

• Ratio between risk of disease with risk factor (with RF/without RF)
• Ratio of incidence
• Only calculated in clinical trials or cohort studies
• Measure strength of an association

Question 5

Sensitivity

Answer 5

• True positive rate
• Portion of pt with a pathology who test positive
• Helps rule out
• Tests are for SCREENING
• If test is Neg. chances are they do not have (rule out)

Question 6

Specificity

Answer 6

• True negative rate
• Measure proportion of all neg. that are correctly identified
• Helps rule in
• Test are for CONFIRMATION
• If test is pos. can be confident they have (rule in)

Question 7

Incidence

Answer 7

• Portion of population that ACQUIRES condition in given period of time

Question 8

Prevalence

Answer 8

• Portion of population that HAS condition at any time

Question 9

Odds ratio

Answer 9

• Ratio of odds that cases are exposed to odds that controls are exposed
• Odds calculated in case-control and cross-sectional studies
• Good estimate of relative risk if disease is rare
• OR = (odds case exposed/odds a control is exposed)

Question 10

Contrast diagnostic versus screening tests.

Answer 10

Screening tests are intended for asymptomatic (showing no or disguised symptoms) people, whereas diagnostic tests are intended for those showing symptoms in need of a diagnosis.

Question 11

Define and contrast True positive and True negative as relates to medical testing

Answer 11

True Positive: the patient has the disease and the test is positive
True Negative: the patient doesn’t have the disease and the test is negative
False Positive: the patient does not have the disease but the test is positive
False Negative: the patient has the disease but the test is negative