T7: Epidemiology Flashcards

1
Q

epidemiology

A

Epidemiology is the study of how diseases affect the health and illness of populations. It focuses on the distribution (who, when, and where) and determinants (why and how) of health-related states or events, including diseases.
- Objective: The primary goal is to understand the causes and patterns of health and disease in populations, which can then inform public health strategies and policies to prevent and control diseases.

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2
Q

descriptive epidemiology

A

Descriptive epidemiology is a branch of epidemiology that focuses on describing the distribution of diseases and health outcomes according to person, place, and time.
Objective: Its primary aim is to identify patterns and trends in health events by categorizing them based on demographic factors (e.g., age, gender), geographic locations, and time periods.

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3
Q

descriptive epidemiology focuses on the…

A

WHO, WHEN, WHERE, WHAT, PERSON, PLACE, TIME

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4
Q

analytic epidemiology

A

looks at the etiology (origins or causes) of the disease and deals with determinants of health and disease.

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5
Q

analytic epidemiology focuses on the…

A

CAUSES AND EFFECTS, HOW AND WHY

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6
Q

determinants of health events

A

are those factors exposures, characteristics, behaviors, and contexts that determine (or influence) the patterns.

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7
Q

john snows study

A
  • Mapping Cases: Snow demonstrated the use of geographic mapping to identify disease patterns and clusters.
  • Identifying the Source: He linked cholera outbreaks to contaminated water sources, particularly the Broad Street pump.
  • Comparative Analysis: He compared cholera rates among households served by different water companies, highlighting the impact of water quality on disease spread.
  • Scientific Reasoning: Snow’s methodical approach and evidence-based reasoning challenged prevailing theories and laid the groundwork for modern epidemiology and public health practices.
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8
Q

what is the only cholera vaccine approved by the FDA

A

Vaxchora

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9
Q

Sources of data in epidemiology

A

o Routinely collected data (census data, vital record, and surveillance data)
o Data collected for other purposes (medical records)
o Epidemiological data

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10
Q

age-adjusted rate

A

a rate used to make comparisons across groups and over time when groups differ in age structure

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11
Q

Direct Adjusted Rate

A

used if age-specific death rates in a population to be standardized are known and a suitable standard population is available

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12
Q

Indirect Adjusted Rate

A

If age-specific death rates of the population for standardization are unknown or unstable, for example, because the rates to be standardized are based on a small population.
Use SMR (Standard Mortality ratio)

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13
Q

comparison groups

A

to decide if the rate of disease is the result of a suspected risk factor, compare the exposed group with a group of comparable unexposed persons. Provides a picture of how things are or have been.

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14
Q

rate

A

a statistic used for describing an event, characteristic, or happening. TIME important or a proportion.

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15
Q

crude rate

A

rate expressed for a TOTAL POPULATION

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16
Q

specific rate

A

rate for a particular POPULATION SUBGROUP

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17
Q

rate formula

A

(Number of events/population at risk) X 100,000

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18
Q

morbidity rate

A

the extent that illness to disease symptoms are present and affecting a population

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19
Q

mortality rate

A

the number of deaths as a result of a disease or health event

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20
Q

incidence rate

A

number of NEW cases of a specific disease or injury within a specific time frame/population at risk x 100,000

21
Q

prevalence rate

A

number of ALL cases of a specific disease or injury at a given point in time/population at risk x 100,000

22
Q

endemic

A

approximately the same as incidence and recovery, constant presence of disease within a geographical area or population

23
Q

epidemic

A

affecting a larger number of people at the same time (Maurer & Smith)/Unusual rise in incident rate and prevalence rate, rate of disease, injury, or other condition is clearly more than the usual (endemic) level of that condition

24
Q

pandemic

A

affecting an extremely high number of people, usually in many countries (M&S)/ an epidemic occurring worldwide and affecting large populations

25
Q

professional nursing roles of surveillance in epidemiology

A

-case finding
-reporting
-surveillance
-followup/evaluation

26
Q

purpose of surveillance

A

Helps public health departments:
o Identify trends and unusual disease patterns.
o Set priorities for using scarce resources.
o Develop and evaluate programs for commonly occurring and universally occurring diseases or events.

27
Q

National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS)

A

The CDC and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists have a policy that requires state health

28
Q

Types of Surveillance Systems

A

passive, active, sentinel, special

29
Q

Types of Surveillance Systems: passive system

A

case reports are sent to local health departments by health care providers (i.e., physicians, nurses), or laboratory reports of disease occurrence are sent to the local health department.

30
Q

Types of Surveillance Systems: active system

A

nurse, as an employee of the health department, may begin a search for cases through contacts with local health providers and healthcare agencies

31
Q

Types of Surveillance Systems: sentinel system

A

monitors key health events when information is unavailable or in vulnerable populations to calculate or estimate disease morbidity.

32
Q

Types of Surveillance Systems: special systems

A

developed for collecting particular types of data and may be a combination of active, passive, and/or sentinel systems.

33
Q

syndromic surveillance systems

A

as a result of bioterrorism, these newer systems are being developed to monitor illness syndromes or events

34
Q

epidemiological triangle

A

Agent, Host, and Environment

35
Q

web of causation

A

Epidemiologic model that strongly emphasizes the concept of multiple causation while de-emphasizing the role of agents in explaining illness.

36
Q

vectors

A

the presence of a vector, or non-human organism (often insects), mechanically or biologically play a role in transmission of disease from source to host.

37
Q

screening

A

-A key component of many secondary prevention interventions
-Involves the testing of groups of individuals who are at risk for a specific condition but do not have symptoms.

38
Q

what is the goal of screening

A

The goal is to determine the likelihood that these individuals will develop the disease.

39
Q

reliability

A

o Precision of the measurement
o Consistency or repeatability of the measurement

40
Q

validity

A

Is the measurement really measuring what we think it is, and how exactly?

41
Q

sensitivity

A

quantifies how accurately the test identifies those with the condition or trait; true positives.

42
Q

specificity

A

indicates how accurately the test identifies those without the condition or trait; true negatives.

43
Q

Positive predictive value

A

the proportion of persons with a positive test who actually have the disease.

44
Q

negative predictive value

A

the proportion of persons with a negative test who are actually disease-free.

45
Q

health care acquired infections

A

infections acquired during hospitalization or developed within the hospital setting.

46
Q

Universal Precautions

A

procedures to prevent exposure to blood-borne diseases.

47
Q

how can morbidity be expressed?

A

illness rates

48
Q

what is the term used to describe a disease that is constantly present in an area at a constant rate?

A

endemic

49
Q

what does incidence mean

A

the number of new cases of a disease