Historical Evolution of Epidemiology: Hippocrates to John Graunt

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What is the goal of 'Shoe leather epidemiology'?

To conduct comparative tables and statistical analysis

To evaluate the outcomes of an outbreak

To identify the extent of an outbreak and its cause (correct)

To develop health care policy

What is the function of 'Analytic Studies' in epidemiology?

To count cases and describe them by time, place, and person

To understand the extent of an outbreak

To evaluate the relevance of a hypothesis (correct)

To identify the cause of an outbreak

What are the components of a case definition?

Vaccination history, family size, travel habits

Laboratory tests, social status, travel history

Signs, symptoms, laboratory results (correct)

Gender, occupation, age

What is the advantage of a 'Sensitive Case Definition'?

Ensures only true cases are captured Signup and view all the answers

How is a 'Confirmed Case' defined in epidemiology?

Being laboratory-confirmed Signup and view all the answers

What is the main factor that determines a host's susceptibility to a disease?

The host's age, behavior, genetic composition, and immunologic status Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a typical portal of entry for a pathogen to infect a host?

Digestive system Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of epidemiological interventions according to the text?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the sudden increase in disease cases in a limited geographic location?

Epidemic Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a mode of disease transmission described in the text?

Waterborne Signup and view all the answers

What is the correct statement about the median?

It is a good measure for skewed data. Signup and view all the answers

How is the mode affected by outliers in a dataset?

Outliers have no effect on the mode. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between the median and the arithmetic mean?

The median is resistant to outliers, while the mean can be influenced by them. Signup and view all the answers

What is true about calculating the midpoint?

The midpoint is an intermediate step in other calculations. Signup and view all the answers

Why is control and prevention considered the most important reason for investigating an outbreak?

To implement effective control measures. Signup and view all the answers

What is the key feature that distinguishes analytic epidemiology from other forms of epidemiology?

It compares the rate of disease in exposed and comparison groups to draw conclusions. Signup and view all the answers

In Rothman's Pie model of disease causation, what is the term used to describe the individual factors that contribute to a disease?

Component causes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a type of reservoir for an infectious agent in the chain of infection?

Experimental reservoir Signup and view all the answers

In a case-control study, what is the purpose of the control group?

To provide an estimate of the baseline or expected amount of exposure in the population. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of evaluating the hypothesis in epidemiological studies?

To determine if the hypothesis is supported by established facts Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of calculating the attack rate in a retrospective cohort study?

To compare the attack rate between those exposed and those not exposed Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of calculating the risk ratio or odds ratio in an analytical epidemiological study?

To quantify the relationship between exposure and disease Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the chi-squared test in epidemiological studies?

To determine the statistical significance of the findings Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the confidence interval in epidemiological studies?

To indicate the range of values within which the true effect size is likely to fall Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a type of common source outbreak?

Propagated outbreak Signup and view all the answers

In a frequency distribution, what does a negative skew indicate?

The central location is to the right of the tail Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a ratio variable?

Number of children in a family Signup and view all the answers

In a case-control study, which group is identified first?

The cases (individuals with the disease) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between a cohort study and a cross-sectional study?

A cohort study follows individuals over time, while a cross-sectional study is a snapshot in time Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT one of the core epidemiologic functions?

Clinical diagnosis Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary contribution of John Graunt's work in the 17th century?

Quantifying patterns of birth, death, and disease using mortality data Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about epidemiology in the 19th and 20th centuries is NOT true?

The spread of infectious diseases through bioterrorism was a major focus Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary contribution of John Snow's work in 1854?

Establishing the link between cholera and contaminated water sources Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of public health surveillance?

To portray patterns of disease to control spread and implement prevention measures Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary goal of the control measures implemented in the E. coli outbreak at the county fair?

To control the outbreak and prevent additional cases Signup and view all the answers