87 Questions
What does the term 'epidemiology' mean?
Study of population health and disease patterns
According to the objectives, what is one of the core functions of epidemiology?
Policy development
What is the historical era of epidemiology that primarily focused on studying long-term health conditions?
Chronic era
In epidemiology, what does 'demographics' refer to?
Study of population characteristics
What is one of the goals of epidemiology?
Improving population health
What is a key activity in epidemiology that involves monitoring disease occurrence in a population?
Field investigations
During which era was the theory of 'germs' first advocated?
Infectious Era
What was the primary belief in disease transmission during the Miasmic Epidemiology Era?
Via contaminated water supply
What key sanitary measures were advocated during the Sanitary Era?
Limitation of waste and contaminated water supply
What was a significant realization during the Infectious Era?
Many diseases were caused through infection
Which era saw the birth of public health nursing?
Infectious Era
How did the focus of medicine and nursing shift during the Infectious Era?
To put strict emphasis on single causative agents
What is the primary goal of determining causes and sources of diseases?
To prevent, control, and eliminate causes of disease
What is the role of epidemiologists in studying a disease outbreak?
Dependent on clinical physicians and lab scientists for proper diagnosis
How does epidemiological information contribute to personal decisions?
By influencing daily choices based on available health services
What is the significance of understanding the clinical picture and natural history of a disease?
To guide prevention and control strategies
According to the miasmic theory, how was disease believed to be transmitted?
Through the air, soil, and other elements
In epidemiology, what does prevalence refer to?
The proportion of individuals with a particular disease at a specific point in time
What was the focus of epidemiology originally when it started?
Communicable diseases
Who is known for identifying the importance of hand hygiene in healthcare settings?
Ignaz Semmelweis
Which era of epidemiology expanded the focus beyond communicable diseases to include other health issues?
Chronic era
Who is credited with developing the Germ theory of disease?
Louis Pasteur
What did Professor H Booth suggest could cause obesity in individuals according to the text?
Inhaling food odors
What is the purpose of surveillance in epidemiology?
To guide public health decision-making
Which of the following is a core function of epidemiology related to surveillance?
Analytic studies
What is the main objective of field investigations in public health?
To characterize the extent of an outbreak and identify its cause
Who usually submits morbidity and mortality reports for surveillance data?
Healthcare providers, infection control practitioners, laboratories
Which of the following is NOT a step in a surveillance system?
Conducting field investigations
What type of data does surveillance aim to depict?
Past patterns of disease occurrence
What aspect of a population does descriptive epidemiology primarily examine?
Age, gender, ethnicity
Which factor is NOT typically considered in the analysis of descriptive epidemiology?
Genetic predisposition
In analytic epidemiology, what is the main focus of investigation?
Relationship between exposure and disease
What is a critical difference between descriptive and analytic epidemiology?
Descriptive epidemiology considers the 'who, where, when', while analytic epidemiology looks at the 'how'.
Which of the following is NOT a factor commonly studied in descriptive epidemiology?
Physiological cycles
What concept was developed during the chronic disease era to explain the interconnection of factors promoting and protecting against disease?
Web of causation
During which historical era of epidemiology did the focus shift to studying chronic diseases due to the decline in infectious diseases post-World War II?
Chronic Era
Which of the following is NOT one of the purposes of epidemiology as mentioned in the text?
Develop treatment plans for diagnosed diseases
What were the two main types of epidemiology mentioned in the text?
Descriptive and Analytic
What key purpose does epidemiology serve according to the text?
Understanding the natural history of diseases
What was a significant shift in focus during the chronic disease era compared to previous eras of epidemiology?
Introduction of a web of causation theory
What is the hallmark of analytic studies?
Incorporating a valid comparison group
Which term best describes the ability of a program to produce intended results with minimum expenditure of time and resources?
Efficiency
What is the primary purpose of evaluating a program's impact?
Measuring the intended or expected outcomes
In field epidemiology, why do epidemiologists rarely work in isolation?
To facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration
What is the key focus of formative evaluation in program evaluation?
Evaluating plans and strategies
Why are analytic studies sometimes necessary in epidemiology?
To evaluate hypotheses' validity
Which term refers to the entry and development or multiplication of an infectious agent in a host?
Pathogen
What does pathogenic refer to in the context of epidemiology?
Organism capable of producing disease
Which term describes the pattern of response by a living organism to invasion by a foreign substance or injury?
Syndrome
What does the term 'determinant' refer to in epidemiology?
Causes and risk factors that influence health event occurrence
Which term specifically relates to the population under study rather than the disease itself?
Population
In epidemiology, what does 'frequency' specifically refer to?
Number of health events in a population
What term refers to the time interval between entry of a disease agent into the body and the initial manifestation of the disease?
Incubation period
Which term describes the proportion of exposed persons who become infected?
Infectivity
What term refers to a disease or infection naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and human beings?
Zoonosis
Which term describes cases of a disease occurring irregularly and infrequently?
Sporadic
What term refers to an epidemic that spreads across many countries or the entire world?
Pandemic
Who is a person who harbours a disease agent, is asymptomatic, but can transmit the disease to others?
Carrier
What was the focus of the Sanitary era in epidemiology?
Advocating for clean water and waste sanitation
During which era of epidemiology was the 'miasmic' theory prevalent?
Sanitary era
What was a common belief during the Infectious Era in epidemiology?
Disease transmission was due to 'germs'
Which theory did the 'miasmic' paradigm promote regarding disease transmission?
Airborne transmission
What led to the shift in focus to studying chronic diseases during the Infectious Era of epidemiology?
Decrease in infectious diseases post-World War II
What did the early to middle 19th Century focus on in terms of epidemiological beliefs?
'Miasmic' theory suggesting transmission through air and elements
What does epidemiology primarily focus on studying?
Exposure and spread prevention in communities
According to Last (1988), what is considered the basic science of public health?
Epidemiology
During which era did epidemiology shift its focus from primarily communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases?
Chronic Disease Era
What distinguishes clinicians' focus from that of epidemiologists in public health?
Prevention of disease spread
What is the main goal of descriptive epidemiology?
Examining frequency and patterns of health events
Which term specifically relates to the comparison of different groups in epidemiology?
Analytic epidemiology
In epidemiology, what is the primary purpose of ongoing surveillance?
To monitor disease occurrence patterns
What is the main objective of a public health department when conducting field investigations in epidemiology?
To characterize the extent of an outbreak and identify its cause
What type of data is usually submitted by healthcare providers, infection control practitioners, and laboratories for surveillance purposes?
Disease registers
What is the primary function of surveillance data in epidemiology?
To provide information for action
Why does public health department often require a coordinated effort of several persons during field investigations?
To characterize the extent of an outbreak and its cause
What is the key purpose of ongoing surveillance in epidemiology according to the text?
To monitor patterns of disease occurrence
What term is used to describe the extent to which persons within a population who do not have a disease develop the disease during a specific time period?
Incidence
Which term refers to the number of persons within a population with a specific disease at a given point in time?
Prevalence
What does the term 'Reservoir' refer to in epidemiology?
Habitat where an infectious agent lives and multiplies
What is meant by the term 'Vector' in epidemiology?
Arthropod transferring infectious agents between individuals
What is the study of births, deaths, and migration, and how they influence population changes called?
Demography
What did the chronic disease era introduce to explain the interconnection of factors promoting and protecting against disease?
Theory of web of causation
Which historical event led to the decline in infectious diseases post-World War II, prompting a shift towards studying chronic diseases?
World War II
What was the primary focus of epidemiologists during the Infectious Era?
Infectious diseases
What is one of the main purposes of epidemiology?
Determining causes of diseases
What theory suggested a complex interconnection of various proximate and remote factors that promote and protect against disease?
Theory of web of causation
What led to a significant emphasis shift towards studying chronic diseases during the chronic disease era?
Decline in infectious diseases
Explore the historical period known as the Sanitary Era, which focused on disease prevention through strong sanitary measures and miasmic epidemiology. Learn how this era emerged as a response to plagues like the Black Death and emphasized clean water supplies, fresh ventilation, and drainage.
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