Week 2

Question 1

What is Epidemiology?

Answer 1

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including disease), and the application of this study to the control of diseases and other health problems

Question 2

What is the goal of epidemiology?

Answer 2

determine whether there is an ASSOCIATION between an exposure and a disease or adverse health outcome”

AND`

“If so, determine whether the observed association reflects a CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP of the exposure to the disease outcome

Question 3

What are the 3 main study types?

Answer 3

Randomised trials
Cohort study
Case control study

Question 4

What is the formula for Relative risk?

Answer 4

Ratio of risk of disease in exposed people / risk of disease in the non-exposed

Question 5

What so the values of RR mean

Answer 5

1/1 = no association
2/1 = positive association
1/2 = negative association (could be protective)

Question 6

How muhc attributal risk os needed to deem something causal?

Answer 6

> 50%

Question 7

What do you need to consider to move association to causal?

Answer 7

• was it there before or after?
• is it dose dependent
• it has to be biologically plausilbe

Question 8

What is a communicable disease?

Answer 8

Can transmitted from one person to another and is caused by an infectious agent that is transmitted from a source or reservoir to a susceptible host

Question 9

What are the main types of outbreak?

Answer 9

General outbreak

Point source outbreak

Propagated outbreak

Question 10

what is a generla outbreak?

Answer 10

General outbreak - Occurrence of new cases of a disease clearly in excessof the baseline frequency of the disease in a defined community over a given time period

Question 11

what is a point source outbreak?

Answer 11

– An outbreak due to exposure of a group of people to a noxious influence that is common to the individuals in the group

– The exposure is briefand essentially simultaneous, resultant cases all develop within 1 incubation period of the disease

Question 12

What is a propagated outbreak?

Answer 12

– An outbreak where there are multiple exposures over a period of time, from host to host (directly or indirectly), resulting in cases that are not within1 incubation period

Question 13

What are the different types of immunity?

Answer 13

active
passive
inherent
herd

Question 14

What is the epidemiological triad of disease?

Answer 14

Host
Agent
Environment
(vector in middle)

Question 15

What is the process of disease transmission

Answer 15

 Agent
 Reservoir
 Portal of exit
 Mode of transmission
 Portal of entry
Susceptible host

Question 16

What are the DIRECT modes of disease transmission

Answer 16

Agent
Reservoir
Portal of exit
Mode of transmission
Portal of entry
Susceptible host

Question 17

What are the INDIRECT modes of disease transmission

Answer 17

– Air-borne
–Vehicle-borne
–Vector-borne
–Fomite-borne
–Hand-borne

Question 18

What is an emergiing infectious disease?

Answer 18

Emerging infectious diseases are diseases that have appeared for the first time or that have occurred before appeared in populations where they have not previously been reported

Question 19

What is a re-emerging infectious disease

Answer 19

Re-emerging infectious diseases are familiar diseases caused by well-understood organisms that were once under control or declining but now are resistant to common drugs or gaining new footholds in the population and increasing in incidence.

Question 20

What are the pricniples for control of communicable disease?

Answer 20

 Rapid Assessment
Prevention
Surveillance
Outbreak Control
Disease Management

Question 21

What conditions increase the spread of infectious diseases?

Answer 21

Global travel
Globalisationof food supply and centralisationof food processing
Population growth, increased urbanisationand overcrowding
Migration due to wars, famines, and natural disasters
Irrigation, deforestation, and reforestation projects that alter habitats
Human behaviors, such as IV drug use and risky sexual behavior
Increased use of antimicrobial agents and pesticides
Increased human contact with wilderness habitats

Question 22

What measures can be used to prevent communicable disease?

Answer 22

–Good site planning
–Provision of basic clinical services
–Provision of appropriate shelter
–Clean water supply
–Sanitation
–Mass vaccination against specific diseases
–Regular and sufficient food supply
–Control of vectors

Question 23

What is primary prevention?

Answer 23

Increasing the resistance of the host
Inactivating the agent
Interrupt the chain of infection
Restricting spread of infection:
–Isolation
–Quarantine
–Segregation
–Personal surveillance

Question 24

What is secondary prevention?

Answer 24

Activities targeted at detecting disease at earliest possible time to:
–Begin treatment
–Stop progression
–Protect others in the community

Examples of activities:
–Case finding
–Health screening
–Health education

Question 25

What is tertiary prevention?

Answer 25

Limits the progression of disability

Treatment of symptoms and rehabilitation vary with each specific disease

Question 26

What is surveillance?

Answer 26

Surveillance is the ongoing systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of data in order to plan, implement and evaluate public health intervention.

Surveillance system should be simple, flexible and acceptable.

Question 27

What are the 4 steps to managing communicable disease outbreak?

Answer 27

Preparation
Detection
Response
Evaluation

Question 28

How do you prepare for an outbreak?

Answer 28

Health co-ordination meetings
Strong surveillance system
Outbreak response plan for each disease
Stocks of iv fluids, antibiotics and vaccines
Plans for isolation at home or hospital
Laboratory support

Question 29

What are the steps in detectipon of an outbreak?

Answer 29

Surveillance system with early warning system for epidemic prone diseases
Inform Ministry of Health and WHO in case of outbreaks of specific diseases
Take appropriate specimens (stool, urine, CSF, or blood tests like maternal serum) for laboratory confirmation
Include case in the weekly report

Question 30

How do you respond to the outbreak? (4 steops)

Answer 30

Confirm the outbreak
Activate the outbreak control team
Investigate the outbreak
Control the outbreak

Question 31

What methods are used to eradicate disease?

Answer 31

–Immunization and vaccination
–Drug therapy
–Community training
–Health education
–National disease surveillance efforts

Question 32

What is the role of ECP in communicable disease?

Answer 32

normally the first to see community members at risk
–Remote communities –ieindigenous Australians, mining, exploration
–Nursing Homes
–Kindergartens
–Shopping Malls
–Port of Melbourne in Footscray
–P&O Cruises in Port Melbourne
–Melbourne Airport at Tullermarine
–Equine International Horse Centre

Question 33

What must ECPs be able to do with communicable disease?

Answer 33

–Recognisewho is at risk
–Where the reservoirs and source of infectious disease agents are located
–What environmental factors promote the spread
–What comprise the characteristic of vulnerability of community member and groups-particularly those subject to intervention
–Work collaboratively with other Public Health Professionals to establish extended care and educational programs, to improve wellbeing of different communities outside of hospital emergency departments
–Broaden qualifications into WH&S ieHygienist