Scientific Foundations: Epidemiology

Question 0

Incidence rate

Answer 0

An epidemiologic term that describes the occurrence of new disease or injury per unit of time among persons at risk

Question 1

Epidemiology

Answer 1

The study of the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to the control of health problems

Question 2

Incidence rate numerator

Answer 2

Includes only new cases of disease during a given time period

Question 3

Incidence rate denominator

Answer 3

Includes everyone at risk of developing the disease during that period

Question 4

Incidence measures…

Answer 4

The probability (or risk) of developing disease

Question 5

Use of incidence rates

Answer 5

Tracking trends in the development or resolution of disease

Question 6

Prevalence

Answer 6

An epidemiologic term that describes the proportion of the population with the condition at a given point in time or during a given time period

Question 7

Prevalence numerator

Answer 7

Includes new and existing cases

Question 8

Prevalence denominator

Answer 8

Includes all who are at risk for developing the disease, including those who have it

Question 9

Prevalence measures…

Answer 9

The current burden of disease

Question 10

Prevalence uses

Answer 10

Measuring and projecting health care and health resource needs

Question 11

Applications of epidemiologic research

Answer 11

1. Controlling infectious diseases
2. Controlling the effects of chemical hazards
3. Understanding genetic susceptibility to disease
4. Understanding the effects of nutritional status
5. Linking pathogens to specific disease processes
6. Identifying risk factors for illness and injury

Question 12

Evaluation of —– among exposures and health outcomes is central to epidemiology

Answer 12

Associations

Question 13

Criteria to evaluate causality based on an observed association include the following…

Answer 13

1. The strength of the association
2. Consistency of the association
3. Temporality of the association
4. Dose-response relationship
5. Plausibility of association

Question 14

Strength of the association

Answer 14

Refers to the degree of correlation between the exposure and the disease

Question 15

Consistency of the association

Answer 15

1. Similar findings result across several studies of the same association
2. Conclusions similar despite use of different study designs, under different conditions and in different populations

Question 16

Temporality of association

Answer 16

-demonstrates that the cause precedes the effects

Question 17

Temporality cannot be evaluated with a —— study

Answer 17

Cross sectional

Question 18

Dose response relationship

Answer 18

As the degree of exposure increases, the risk for developing outcome increases

Question 19

Lack of a dose response relationship does not rule out a —–

Answer 19

Causal relationship

Question 20

Plausibility of the association

Answer 20

• Association is consistent with a plausible biologic explanation
• Sometimes there is not enough scientific evidence to draw a conclusion about biologic plausibility

Question 21

Knowledge required to determine biologic plausibility

Answer 21

1. Natural history of the disease
2. Results of animal experiments
3. Results of other laboratory experiments

Question 22

Population based health outcome data includes:

Answer 22

1. Census data
2. Vital statistics
3. National health surveys
4. Disease and death registries

Question 23

Census data is obtained from

Answer 23

US Census Bureau

Question 24

Vital statistics are obtained from

Answer 24

US Census Bureau

Question 25

National health surveys are obtained from

Answer 25

National Center for Health Statistics

Question 26

Examples of population based national health surveys

Answer 26

1. National Health and Nutrition Examination surveys | 2. National Health Interview Survey

Question 27

OSHA recordable illnesses and injuries are captured through mandatory reporting systems maintained by...

Answer 27

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Question 28

Examples of exposure data

Answer 28

1. Air monitoring data | 2. Biomarkers of exposure

Question 29

Exposure data can be obtained from....

Answer 29

Exposure registries

Question 30

Examples of exposure registries

Answer 30

1. Heavy metal exposure 2. Certain pharmaceuticals 3. Needle stick injuries

Question 31

Exposure status is sometimes estimated indirectly from the following information:

Answer 31

1. Occupational history 2. Dietary history 3. Location of residence

Question 32

Key terms in comparisons of rates

Answer 32

1. Relative risk 2. Odds ratio 3. Attributable risk

Question 33

Relative risk

Answer 33

Aka rate ratio A measure of the relationship between two incidence rates, that of the exposed and that of the unexposed population

Question 34

Odds ratio

Answer 34

A good estimate of relative risk, but is derived from case control or cross-sectional studies

Question 35

Attributable risk

Answer 35

A measure of the difference between two rates, one for the exposed and one for the unexposed populations. It describes the increased amount of risk attributed to the exposure

Question 36

Crude rates

Answer 36

Based on the actual numbers of events for a given time period but do not reflect true differences in risk amount subgroups in a population

Question 37

Characteristic-specific rates

Answer 37

Allow one to compare rates for similar subgroups of two or more populations

Question 38

Examples of characteristic-specific rates

Answer 38

Age-specific | Gender-specific

Question 39

Adjusted (or standardized) rates

Answer 39

Reflect population differences by taking into consideration the distribution of important characteristics that may affect risk

Question 40

Example of adjusted rate

Answer 40

Age-adjusted rate

Question 41

The crude rates of lung cancer in a population will not reflect....

Answer 41

The fact that older individuals are at higher risk for lung cancer

Question 42

To look at the association between smoking and lung cancer, it would be appropriate to compare.....

Answer 42

Crude rates of lung cancer in groups of s,pokers and nonsmokers who differ in she distribution

Question 43

Rates of lung cancer could be computed for age-specific groups to.....

Answer 43

Examine differences in lung cancer rates by age

Question 44

The age-adjusted rates of lung cancer in the swing and nonsmoking groups could be compared to.....

Answer 44

Examine the question of an association between smoking and cancer