Epidemiology

Question 1 of 188

1

In the definition of epidemiology, "distribution" refers to EXCEPT:

Select one of the following:

Who
When
Where
Why

Explanation

Question 2 of 188

1

In the definition of epidemiology, "determinants" generally includes EXCEPT:

Select one of the following:

Agents
Causes
Control measures
Risk factors
Sources

Explanation

Question 3 of 188

1

Epidemiology, as defined in this lesson, would NOT include which of the following activities?

Select one of the following:

Describing the demographic characteristics of persons with acute aflatoxin poisoning in District A
Prescribing an antibiotic to treat a patient with community-acquired methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus infection
Comparing the family history, amount of exercise, and eating habits of those with and without newly diagnosed diabetes
Recommending that a restaurant be closed after implicating it as the source of a hepatitis A outbreak

Explanation

Question 4 of 188

1

John Snow's investigation of cholera is considered a model for epidemiologic field investigations because it includes the following EXCEPT:

Select one of the following:

Biologically plausible hypothesis
Comparison of a health outcome among exposed and unexposed groups
Multivariate statistical model
Spot map
Recommendation for public health action

Explanation

Question 5 of 188

1

Public health surveillance does NOT include which of the following activity:

Select one of the following:

Diagnosing whether a case of encephalitis is actually due to West Nile virus infection
Soliciting case reports of persons with symptoms compatible with SARs from local hospitals
Creating graphs of the number of dog bites by week and neighborhood
Writing a report on trends in seat belt use to share with the state legislature
All of the above
None of the above

Explanation

Question 6 of 188

1

The hallmark feature of an analytic epidemiologic study is:

Select one of the following:

Use of an appropriate comparison group
Laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis
Publication in a peer-reviewed journal
Statistical analysis using logistic regression

Explanation

Question 7 of 188

1

A number of passengers on a cruise ship from Puerto Rico to the Panama Canal have recently developed a gastrointestinal illness compatible with norovirus (formerly called Norwalk-like virus). Testing for norovirus is not readily available in any nearby island, and the test takes several days even where available. Assuming you are the epidemiologist called on to board the ship and investigate this possible outbreak, your case definition should include, at a minimum:

Select one of the following:

Clinical criteria, plus specification of time, place, and person
Clinical features, plus the exposure(s) you most suspect
Suspect cases
The nationally agreed standard case definition for disease reporting

Explanation

Question 8 of 188

1

Compare food histories between persons with Staphylococcus food poisoning and those without

Select one of the following:

Distribution
Determinants
Application

Explanation

Question 9 of 188

1

Compare frequency of brain cancer among anatomists with frequency in general population

Select one of the following:

Distribution
Determinants
Application

Explanation

Question 10 of 188

1

Mark on a map the residences of all children born with birth defects within 2 miles of a hazardous waste site

Select one of the following:

Distribution
Determinants
Application

Explanation

Question 11 of 188

1

Graph the number of cases of congenital syphilis by year for the country

Select one of the following:

Distribution
Determinants
Application

Explanation

Question 12 of 188

1

Recommend that close contacts of a child recently reported with meningococcal meningitis receive Rifampin

Select one of the following:

Distribution
Determinants
Application

Explanation

Question 13 of 188

1

Tabulate the frequency of clinical signs, symptoms, and laboratory findings among children with chickenpox in Cincinnati, Ohio

Select one of the following:

Distribution
Determinants
Application

Explanation

Question 14 of 188

1

Essay entitled “On Airs, Waters, and Places,” suggested that environmental and host factors such as behaviors

Select one of the following:

Hippocrates
John Graunt
John Snow

Explanation

Question 15 of 188

1

first to quantify patterns of birth, death, and disease occurrence, noting disparities between males and females, high infant mortality, urban/rural differences, and seasonal variations

Select one of the following:

John Graunt
John Snow
William Farr

Explanation

Question 16 of 188

1

Father of modern vital statistics and surveillance

Select one of the following:

William Farr
John Snow
John Graunt

Explanation

Question 17 of 188

1

Father of field epidemiology

Select one of the following:

John Graunt
John Snow
William Farr

Explanation

Question 18 of 188

1

Study linking lung cancer to smoking

Select one of the following:

Doll and Hill
John Snow
Kannel

Explanation

Question 19 of 188

1

Reviewing reports of test results for Chlamydia trachomatis from public health clinics

Select one of the following:

Public health surveillance
Field investigation
Analytic studies
Evaluation
Linkages
Policy development

Explanation

Question 20 of 188

1

Meeting with directors of family planning clinics and college health clinics to discuss Chlamydia testing and reporting

Select one of the following:

Public health surveillance
Analytic studies
Evaluation
Field investigation
Linkages
Policy development

Explanation

Question 21 of 188

1

Developing guidelines/criteria about which patients coming to the clinic should be screened (tested) for Chlamydia infection

Select one of the following:

Public health surveillance
Field investigation
Analytic studies
Evaluation
Linkages
Policy development

Explanation

Question 22 of 188

1

Interviewing persons infected with Chlamydia to identify their sex partners

Select one of the following:

Public health surveillance
Field investigation
Analytic studies
Evaluation
Linkages
Policy development

Explanation

Question 23 of 188

1

Conducting an analysis of patient flow at the public health clinic to determine waiting times for clinic patients

Select one of the following:

Public health surveillance
Analytic studies
Evaluation
Linkages
Policy development
Field investigation

Explanation

Question 24 of 188

1

Comparing persons with symptomatic versus asymptomatic Chlamydia infection to identify predictors

Select one of the following:

Public health surveillance
Field investigation
Evaluation
Linkages
Policy development
Analytic studies

Explanation

Question 25 of 188

1

Comparing numbers and rates of illness in a community, rates are preferred for

Select one of the following:

Conducting surveillance for communicable diseases
Deciding how many doses of immune globulin are needed
Estimating subgroups at highest risk
Telling physicians which strain of influenza is most prevalent

Explanation

Question 26 of 188

1

For the cruise ship scenario described in Question 7, how would you display the time course of the outbreak?

Select one of the following:

Endemic curve
Epidemic curve
Seasonal trend
Secular trend

Explanation

Question 27 of 188

1

For the cruise ship scenario described in Question 7, if you suspected that the norovirus may have been transmitted by ice made or served aboard ship, how might you NOT display "place"?

Select one of the following:

Spot map by assigned dinner seating location
Spot map by cabin
Shaded map of United States by state of residence
Shaded map by whether passenger consumed ship's ice or no

Explanation

Question 28 of 188

1

Which variables might you include in characterizing the outbreak described in Question 7 by person?

Select one or more of the following:

Age of passenger
Detailed food history (what person ate) while aboard ship
Status as passenger or crew
Symptoms

Explanation

Question 29 of 188

1

When analyzing surveillance data by age, which of the following age groups is preferred?

Select one of the following:

1-year age groups
5-year age groups
10-year age groups
Depends on the disease

Explanation

Question 30 of 188

1

A study in which children are randomly assigned to receive either a newly formulated vaccine or the currently available vaccine, and are followed to monitor for side effects and effectiveness of each vaccine, is an example of which type of study?

Select one of the following:

Cohort
Case-control
Clinical trial
Cross Sectional

Explanation

Question 31 of 188

1

The Iowa Women's Health Study, in which researchers enrolled 41,837 women in 1986 and collected exposure and lifestyle information to assess the relationship between these factors and subsequent occurrence of cancer, is an example of which type(s) of study?

Select one of the following:

Cohort
Case-control
Clinical trial
Cross Sectional

Explanation

Question 32 of 188

1

British investigators conducted a study to compare measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine history among 1,294 children with pervasive development disorder (e.g., autism and Asperger's syndrome) and 4,469 children without such disorders. (They found no association.) This is an example of which type(s) of study?

Select one of the following:

Cohort
Case-control
Clinical trial
Cross Sectional

Explanation

Question 33 of 188

1

A cohort study differs from a case-control study in that:

Select one of the following:

Subjects are enrolled or categorized on the basis of their exposure status in a cohort study but not in a case-control study
Subjects are asked about their exposure status in a cohort study but not in a case-control study
Cohort studies require many years to conduct, but case-control studies do not
Cohort studies are conducted to investigate chronic diseases, case-control studies are used for infectious diseases

Explanation

Question 34 of 188

1

A key feature of a cross-sectional study EXCEPT:

Select one of the following:

It usually provides information on prevalence rather than incidence
It is limited to health exposures and behaviors rather than health outcomes
It is more useful for descriptive epidemiology than it is for analytic epidemiology
It is synonymous with survey

Explanation

Question 35 of 188

1

The epidemiologic triad of disease causation refers to

Select one of the following:

Agent, host, environment
Time, place, person
Source, mode of transmission, susceptible host
John Snow, Robert Koch, Kenneth Rothman

Explanation

Question 36 of 188

1

Click on the orange point and select the correct answer.

For each of the following, identify the appropriate letter from the time line in Figure 1.27 representing the natural history of disease.

Explanation

Question 37 of 188

1

Click on the orange point and select the correct answer.

For each of the following, identify the appropriate letter from the time line in Figure 1.27 representing the natural history of disease.

Explanation

Question 38 of 188

1

Click on the orange point and select the correct answer.

For each of the following, identify the appropriate letter from the time line in Figure 1.27 representing the natural history of disease.

Explanation

Question 39 of 188

1

Click on the orange point and select the correct answer.

For each of the following, identify the appropriate letter from the time line in Figure 1.27 representing the natural history of disease.

Explanation

Question 40 of 188

1

A reservoir of an infectious agent can be:

Select one of the following:

An asymptomatic human
A symptomatic human
An animal
The environment
All of the above

Explanation

Question 41 of 188

1

Indirect transmission includes which of the following EXCEPT?

Select one of the following:

Droplet spread
Mosquito-borne
Foodborne
Doorknobs or toilet seats

Explanation

Question 42 of 188

1

Disease control measures are generally directed at which of the followingEXXCEPT ?

Select one of the following:

Eliminating the reservoir
Eliminating the vector
Eliminating the host
Interrupting mode of transmission
Reducing host susceptibility

Explanation

Question 43 of 188

1

Disease 1: usually 40–50 cases per week; last week, 48 cases

Select one of the following:

Endemic
Outbreak
Pandemic
Sporadic

Explanation

Question 44 of 188

1

Disease 2: fewer than 10 cases per year; last week, 1 case

Select one of the following:

Endemic
Outbreak
Pandemic
Sporadic

Explanation

Question 45 of 188

1

Disease 3: usually no more than 2–4 cases per week; last week, 13 cases

Select one of the following:

Endemic
Outbreak
Pandemic
Sporadic

Explanation

Question 46 of 188

1

A propagated epidemic is usually the result of what type of exposure?

Select one of the following:

Point source
Continuous common source
Intermittent common source
Person-to-person

Explanation

Question 47 of 188

1

Which of the following are frequency measures?

Select one or more of the following:

Birth rate
Incidence
Mortality rate
Prevalence

Explanation

Question 48 of 188

1

In a state that did not require varicella (chickenpox) vaccination, a boarding school experienced a prolonged outbreak of varicella among its students that began in September and continued through December. To calculate the probability or risk of illness among the students, which denominator would you use?

Select one of the following:

Number of susceptible students at the ending of the period (i.e., June)
Number of susceptible students at the midpoint of the period (late October/early November)
Number of susceptible students at the beginning of the period (i.e., September)
Average number of susceptible students during outbreak

Explanation

Question 49 of 188

1

All proportions are ratios, but not all ratios are proportions.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 50 of 188

1

Many of the students at the boarding school, including 6 just coming down with varicella, went home during the Thanksgiving break. About 2 weeks later, 4 siblings of these 6 students (out of a total of 10 siblings) developed varicella. The secondary attack rate among siblings was, therefore,:

Select one of the following:

4 ⁄ 6
4 ⁄ 10
4 ⁄ 16
6 ⁄ 10

Explanation

Question 51 of 188

1

Investigators enrolled 100 diabetics without eye disease in a cohort (follow-up) study. The results of the first 3 years were as follows:
Year 1: 0 cases of eye disease detected out of 92; 8 lost to follow-up
Year 2: 2 new cases of eye disease detected out of 80; 2 had died; 10 lost to follow-up
Year 3: 3 new cases of eye disease detected out of 63; 2 more had died; 13 more lost to follow-up
The person-time incidence rate is calculated as:

Select one of the following:

5 ⁄ 100
5 ⁄ 63
5 ⁄ 235
5 ⁄ 250

Explanation

Question 52 of 188

1

The units for the quantity you calculated in Question 8 could be expressed as:

Select one or more of the following:

cases per 100 persons
percent
cases per person-year
cases per person per year

Explanation

Question 53 of 188

1

Measure of risk

Select one of the following:

Incidence
Prevalence

Explanation

Question 54 of 188

1

Generally preferred for chronic diseases without clear date of onset

Select one of the following:

Incidence
Prevalence

Explanation

Question 55 of 188

1

Used in calculation of risk ratio

Select one of the following:

Incidence
Prevalence

Explanation

Question 56 of 188

1

Affected by duration of illness

Select one of the following:

Incidence
Prevalence

Explanation

Question 57 of 188

1

Use the following information for Questions 57–61.
Within 10 days after attending a June wedding, an outbreak of cyclosporiasis occurred among attendees. Of the 83 guests and wedding party members, 79 were interviewed; 54 of the 79 met the case definition. The following two-by-two table shows consumption of wedding cake (that had raspberry filling) and illness status.
Ate wedding cake? Ill Well Total
Yes 50 3 53
No 4 22 26
Total 54 25 79

The fraction 54 ⁄ 79 is a/an:

Select one or more of the following:

Food-specific attack rate
Attack rate
Incidence proportion
Proportion

Explanation

Question 58 of 188

1

The fraction 50 ⁄ 54 is a/an:

Select one or more of the following:

Attack rate
Food-specific attack rate
Incidence proportion
Proportion

Explanation

Question 59 of 188

1

The fraction 50 ⁄ 53 is a/an:

Select one or more of the following:

Attack rate
Food-specific attack rate
Incidence proportion
Proportion

Explanation

Question 60 of 188

1

The best measure of association to use for these data is a/an:

Select one of the following:

Food-specific attack rate
Odds ratio
Rate ratio
Risk ratio

Explanation

Question 61 of 188

1

The best estimate of the association between wedding cake and illness is:

Select one of the following:

6.1
7.7
68.4
83.7
91.7
94.3

Explanation

Question 62 of 188

1

The attributable proportion for wedding cake is:

Select one of the following:

6.1%
7.7%
68.4%
83.7%
91.7%
94.3%

Explanation

Question 63 of 188

1

Use the following diagram for Questions 63 and 64. Assume that the horizontal lines in the diagram represent duration of illness in 8 different people, out of a community of 700.

What is the prevalence of disease during July?

Select one of the following:

3 ⁄ 700
4 ⁄ 700
5 ⁄ 700
8 ⁄ 700

Explanation

Question 64 of 188

1

What is the incidence of disease during July?

Select one of the following:

3 ⁄ 700
4 ⁄ 700
5 ⁄ 700
8 ⁄ 700

Explanation

Question 65 of 188

1

Which of the following mortality rates use the estimated total mid-year population as its denominator?

Select one or more of the following:

Age-specific mortality rate
Sex-specific mortality rate
Crude mortality rate
Cause-specific mortality rate

Explanation

Question 66 of 188

1

Vaccine efficacy measures are:

Select one of the following:

The proportion of vaccinees who do not get the disease
1 − the attack rate among vaccinees
The proportionate reduction in disease among vaccinees
1 − disease attributable to the vaccine

Explanation

Question 67 of 188

1

To study the causes of an outbreak of aflatoxin poisoning in Africa, investigators conducted a case-control study with 40 case-patients and 80 controls. Among the 40 poisoning victims, 32 reported storing their maize inside rather than outside. Among the 80 controls, 20 stored their maize inside. The resulting odds ratio for the association between inside storage of maize and illness is:

Select one of the following:

3.2
5.2
12.0
33.3

Explanation

Question 68 of 188

1

The crude mortality rate in Community A was higher than the crude mortality rate in Community B, but the age-adjusted mortality rate was higher in Community B than in Community A. This indicates that:

Select one of the following:

Investigators made a calculation error
No inferences can be made about the comparative age of the populations from these data
The population of Community A is, on average, older than that of Community B
The population of Community B is, on average, older than that of Community A

Explanation

Question 69 of 188

1

public health surveillance includes which activities EXCEPT?

Select one of the following:

Data collection.
Data analysis.
Data interpretation.
Data dissemination.
Disease control.

Explanation

Question 70 of 188

1

Current public health surveillance targets which of the following?

Select one of the following:

Chronic diseases.
Communicable diseases.
Health-related behaviors.
Occupational hazards.
Presence of viruses in mosquitoes.
All of the above

Explanation

Question 71 of 188

1

Public health surveillance can be described primarily as which of the following?

Select one of the following:

A method to monitor occurrences of public health problems.
A program to control disease outbreaks.
A system for collecting health-related information.
A system for monitoring persons who have been exposed to a communicable disease.

Explanation

Question 72 of 188

1

Public health surveillance is only conducted by public health agencies.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 73 of 188

1

Common uses and applications of public health surveillance include which of the following?

Select one of the following:

Detecting individual persons with malaria so that they can receive prompt and appropriate treatment.
Helping public health officials decide how to allocate their disease control resources.
Identifying changes over time in the proportion of children with elevated blood lead levels in a community.
Documenting changes in the incidence of varicella (chickenpox), if any, after a law requiring varicella vaccination took effect.
All of the above

Explanation

Question 74 of 188

1

Data collected through which of the following methods is NOT commonly used for surveillance?

Select one of the following:

Vital registration.
Randomized clinical trials.
Disease notifications.
Population surveys.

Explanation

Question 75 of 188

1

Health-care providers might be important sources of surveillance data used by public health officials, and they should receive feedback to close the surveillance loop as a courtesy; however, the results almost never have any relevance to patient care provided by those health-care providers.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 76 of 188

1

Vital statistics are important sources of data on which of the following?

Select one of the following:

Morbidity.
Mortality.
Health-related behaviors.
Injury and disability.
Outpatient health-care usage.

Explanation

Question 77 of 188

1

Vital statistics provide an archive of certain health data. These data do not become surveillance data until they are analyzed, interpreted, and disseminated with the intent of influencing public health decision-making or action.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 78 of 188

1

Key sources of morbidity data include which of the following EXCEPT?

Select one of the following:

Environmental monitoring data.
Hospital discharge data.
Laboratory results.
Notifiable disease reports.

Explanation

Question 79 of 188

1

Notifiable disease surveillance usually focuses on morbidity from the diseases on the list and does not cover mortality from those diseases.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 80 of 188

1

The list of diseases that a physician must report to the local health department is typically compiled by the…

Select one of the following:

Local health department.
State health department.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE).
Medical licensing board.

Explanation

Question 81 of 188

1

A physician working in an emergency room in Town A, USA, has just examined a tourist from Southeast Asia with watery diarrhea. The physician suspects the man might have cholera. The physician should notify the …

Select one or more of the following:

Local (town or county) health agency.
State health department.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
U.S. Department of State.
Washington, D.C., embassy of country of origin (ask for health attaché).

Explanation

Question 82 of 188

1

Select from the dropdown list to complete the text.

( Notifiable disease surveillance, Surveillance for consumer product-relate ) State-based, with subsequent reporting to CDC.

Explanation

Question 83 of 188

1

❌Focused on identifying individual cases.

Drag and drop to complete the text.

Notifiable disease surveillance

Surveillance for consumer product-relate

Both.

Neither

Explanation

Question 84 of 188

1

Select from the dropdown list to complete the text.

( Both, Notifiable disease surveillance, Surveillance for consumer product-relate, Neither )
Can monitor trends over time.

Explanation

Question 85 of 188

1

Based on statistically valid sample.

Select one of the following:

Notifiable disease surveillance
Surveillance for consumer product-related injuries
Both.
Neither

Explanation

Question 86 of 188

1

Complete, unbiased reporting

Select one of the following:

Notifiable disease surveillance
Surveillance for consumer product-related injuries
Both.
Neither.

Explanation

Question 87 of 188

1

Evaluating and improving surveillance should address which of the following EXCEPT?

Select one of the following:

Purpose and objectives of surveillance.
Resources needed to conduct surveillance.
Effectiveness of measures for controlling the disease under surveillance.
Presence of characteristics of well-conducted surveillance.

Explanation

Question 88 of 188

1

Criteria for prioritizing health problems for surveillance include which of the following EXCEPT?

Select one of the following:

Incidence of the problem.
Public concern about the problem.
Number of previous studies of the problem.
Social and economic impact of the problem.

Explanation

Question 89 of 188

1

Watches for individual cases of disease of public health importance.

Select one of the following:

Surveillance based on a specific case definition for a disease (e.g., listeriosis).
Syndromic surveillance based on symptoms, signs, or other characteristics of a disease, rather than specific clinical or laboratory diagnostic criteria.
Both.
Neither

Explanation

Question 90 of 188

1

Watches for diseases that might be caused by acts of biologic or chemical terrorism.

Select one of the following:

Surveillance based on a specific case definition for a disease (e.g., listeriosis).
Syndromic surveillance based on symptoms, signs, or other characteristics of a disease, rather than specific clinical or laboratory diagnostic criteria.
Both.
Neither

Explanation

Question 91 of 188

1

Can watch for disease before a patient seeks care from a health-care provider.

Select one of the following:

Surveillance based on a specific case definition for a disease (e.g., listeriosis).
Syndromic surveillance based on symptoms, signs, or other characteristics of a disease, rather than specific clinical or laboratory diagnostic criteria.
Both.
Neither

Explanation

Question 92 of 188

1

Requires little effort on the part of the health department.

Select one of the following:

Surveillance based on a specific case definition for a disease (e.g., listeriosis).
Syndromic surveillance based on symptoms, signs, or other characteristics of a disease, rather than specific clinical or laboratory diagnostic criteria.
Both
Neither

Explanation

Question 93 of 188

1

Routine analysis of notifiable disease surveillance data at the state health department might NOT include looking at the number of cases of a disease reported this week …

Select one of the following:

and during the previous 2–4 weeks.
and the number reported during the comparable weeks of the previous 2–5 years.
simultaneously by age, race, and sex of the patient.
by county.
by county, divided by each county's population (i.e., county rates).

Explanation

Question 94 of 188

1

One week, a state health department received substantially more case reports of a disease in one county than had been reported during the previous 2 weeks. No increase was reported in neighboring counties. Possible explanations for this increase include which of the following?

Select one of the following:

An outbreak in the county.
Batch reports.
Duplicate reports.
Increase in the county's population.
Laboratory error.
All of the above

Explanation

Question 95 of 188

1

The primary reason for preparing and distributing periodic surveillance summaries is which of the following?

Select one of the following:

Document recent epidemiologic investigations.
Provide timely information on disease patterns and trends to those who need to know it.
Provide reprints ofMMWR articles, reports, and recommendations.
Acknowledge the contributions of those who submitted case reports.

Explanation

Question 96 of 188

1

Surveillance detected 23 of 30 actual cases of a disease.

Select one of the following:

Predictive value positive.
Sensitivity.
Specificity.
Validity

Explanation

Question 97 of 188

1

Of 16 statistically significant aberrations (deviations from baseline) detected by syndromic surveillance, only one represented an actual outbreak of disease.

Select one of the following:

Predictive value positive.
Sensitivity.
Specificity.
Validity.

Explanation

Question 98 of 188

1

Underreporting is not a problem for detecting outbreaks of notifiable diseases because the proportion of cases reported tends to remain relatively stable over time.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 99 of 188

1

Initiating surveillance for a public health problem or adding a disease to the notifiable disease list is justified for which of the following reason?

Select one of the following:

If it is a communicable disease with a high case-fatality rate.
If the problem is new and systematically collected data are needed to characterize the disease and its impact on the public.
If a program at CDC has recommended its addition to better understand national trends and patterns.
all of the above

Explanation

Question 100 of 188

1

The case definition used for surveillance of a health problem should be the same as the case definition used for clinical (treatment) purposes.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 101 of 188

1

A state health department decides to strengthen its notifiable disease reporting. The one best action to take is to …

Select one of the following:

allow reporting through use of the Internet.
require more disease-specific forms from local health departments.
ensure that all persons with a responsibility to report understand the requirements and reasons for reporting and how reports will be used.
reduce the number of diseases on the list.

Explanation

Question 102 of 188

1

Which of the following best describes the similarities and differences in the three distributions shown in Figure 2.11?

Select one of the following:

Same mean, median, mode; different standard deviation
Same mean, median, mode; same standard deviation
Different mean, median, mode; different standard deviation
Different mean, median, mode; same standard deviation

Explanation

Question 103 of 188

1

Which of the following terms accurately describe the distribution shown in Figure 2.12?

Select one of the following:

Negatively skewed
Positively skewed
Symmetrical

Explanation

Question 104 of 188

1

What is the likely relationship between mean, median, and mode of the distribution shown in Figure 2.12?

Select one of the following:

Mean < median < mode
Mean = median = mode
Mean > median > mode
Mode < mean and median, but cannot tell relationship between mean and median

Explanation

Question 105 of 188

1

The mode is the value that:

Select one of the following:

Is midway between the lowest and highest value
Occurs most often
Has half the observations below it and half above it
Is statistically closest to all of the values in the distribution

Explanation

Question 106 of 188

1

The median is the value that:

Select one of the following:

Is midway between the lowest and highest value
Occurs most often
Has half the observations below it and half above it
Is statistically closest to all of the values in the distribution

Explanation

Question 107 of 188

1

Is statistically closest to all of the values in the distribution

Select one of the following:

Is midway between the lowest and highest value
Occurs most often
Has half the observations below it and half above it
Is statistically closest to all of the values in the distribution

Explanation

Question 108 of 188

1

The geometric mean is the value that:

Select one of the following:

Is midway between the lowest and highest value on a log scale
Occurs most often on a log scale
Has half the observations below it and half above it on a log scale
Is statistically closest to all of the values in the distribution on a log scale

Explanation

Question 109 of 188

1

In epidemiology, the measure of central location generally preferred for summarizing skewed data such as incubation periods is the:

Select one of the following:

Mean
Median
Midrange
Mode

Explanation

Question 110 of 188

1

The measure of central location generally preferred for additional statistical analysis is the:

Select one of the following:

Mean
Median
Midrange
Mode

Explanation

Question 111 of 188

1

Which of the following is NOT considered measures of spread?

Select one of the following:

Interquartile range
Percentile
Range
Standard deviation

Explanation

Question 112 of 188

1

The measure of spread most affected by one extreme value is the:

Select one of the following:

Interquartile range
Range
Standard deviation
Mean

Explanation

Question 113 of 188

1

The interquartile range covers what proportion of a distribution?

Select one of the following:

25%
50%
75%
100%

Explanation

Question 114 of 188

1

The measure of central location most commonly used with the interquartile range is the:

Select one of the following:

Arithmetic mean
Geometric mean
Median
Midrange
Mode

Explanation

Question 115 of 188

1

The measure of central location most commonly used with the standard deviation is the:

Select one of the following:

Arithmetic mean
Median
Midrange
Mode

Explanation

Question 116 of 188

1

The algebraic relationship between the variance and standard deviation is that:

Select one of the following:

The standard deviation is the square root of the variance
The variance is the square root of the standard deviation
The standard deviation is the variance divided by the square root of n
The variance is the standard deviation divided by the square root of n

Explanation

Question 117 of 188

1

Before calculating a standard deviation, one should ensure that:

Select one of the following:

The data are somewhat normally distributed
The total number of observations is at least 50
The variable is an interval-scale or ratio-scale variable
All of the above

Explanation

Question 118 of 188

1

Simply by scanning the values in each distribution below, identify the distribution with the largest standard deviation.

Select one of the following:

1, 10, 15, 18, 20, 20, 22, 25, 30, 39
1, 3, 8, 10, 20, 20, 30, 32, 37, 39
1, 15, 17, 19, 20, 20, 21, 23, 25, 39
41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49

Explanation

Question 119 of 188

1

Given the area under a normal curve, which two of the following ranges are the same? (Circle the TWO that are the same.)

Select one of the following:

From the 2.5th percentile to the 97.5th percentile
From the 5th percentile to the 95th percentile
From the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile
From 1 standard deviation below the mean to 1 standard deviation above the mean
None of the above

Explanation

Question 120 of 188

1

The primary use of the standard error of the mean is in calculating the:

Select one of the following:

confidence interval
error rate
standard deviation
variance

Explanation

Question 121 of 188

1

Tables and graphs are NOT important tools for which tasks of an epidemiologist?

Select one of the following:

Data collection
Data summarization (descriptive epidemiology)
Data analysis
Data presentation

Explanation

Question 122 of 188

1

A table in a report or manuscript should include EXCEPT:

Select one of the following:

Title
Row and column labels
Footnotes that explain abbreviations, symbols, exclusions
Source of the data
Explanation of the key findings

Explanation

Question 123 of 188

1

The following table is unacceptable because the percentages add up to 99.9% rather than 100.0%

Age group No. Percent
< 1 year 10 19.6
1–4 9 17.6
5–9 9 17.6
10–14 17 33.3
≥15 6 11.8
Total 53

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 124 of 188

1

In the following table, the total number of persons with the disease is:
Cases Controls Total
Exposed 22 12 34
Unexposed 3 13 16
Total 25 25 50

Select one of the following:

3
22
25
34
50

Explanation

Question 125 of 188

1

A table shell is the:

Select one of the following:

Box around the outside of a table
Lines ("skeleton") of a table without the labels or title
Table with data but without the title, labels or data
Table with labels and title but without the data

Explanation

Question 126 of 188

1

The best time to create table shells is:

Select one of the following:

Just before planning a study
As part of planning the study
Just after collecting the data
Just before analyzing the data
As part of analyzing the data

Explanation

Question 127 of 188

1

Recommended methods for creating categories for continuous variables include:

Select one of the following:

Basing the categories on the mean and standard deviation
Dividing the data into categories with similar numbers of observations in each
Dividing the range into equal class intervals
Using categories that have been used in national surveillance summary reports
Using the same categories as your population data are grouped
All of the above
None of the above

Explanation

Question 128 of 188

1

In frequency distributions, observations with missing values should be excluded.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 129 of 188

1

The following are reasonable categories for a disease that mostly affects people over age 65 years:
Age Group
< 65 years
65–70
70–75
75–80
80–85
85

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 130 of 188

1

In general, before you create a graph to display data, you should put the data into a table.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 131 of 188

1

On an arithmetic-scale line graph, the x-axis and y-axis each should:

Select one of the following:

Begin at zero on each axis
Have labels for the tick marks and each axis
Use the same tick mark spacing on the two axes
All of the above

Explanation

Question 132 of 188

1

Select from the dropdown list to complete the text.

( Semilogarithmic-scale line graph, Arithmetic-scale line graph, Both, Neither )A wide range of values can be plotted and seen clearly, regardless of magnitude

Explanation

Question 133 of 188

1

Select from the dropdown list to complete the text.

( Arithmetic-scale line graph, Semilogarithmic-scale line graph, Both, Neither )A constant rate of change would be represented by a curved line

Explanation

Question 134 of 188

1

Select from the dropdown list to complete the text.

( Semilogarithmic-scale line graph, Arithmetic-scale line graph, Both, Neither )The y-axis tick labels could be 0.1, 1, 10, and 100

Explanation

Question 135 of 188

1

Select from the dropdown list to complete the text.

( Both, Arithmetic-scale line graph, Semilogarithmic-scale line graph, Neither )
Can plot numbers or rates

Explanation

Question 136 of 188

1

❌Used for categorical variables on the x-axis

Drag and drop to complete the text.

Bar chart

Histogram

Both

Neither

Explanation

Question 137 of 188

1

❌
Columns can be subdivided with color or shading to show subgroups

Drag and drop to complete the text.

Both

Bar Chart

Histogram

Neither

Explanation

Question 138 of 188

1

❌Displays continuous data

Drag and drop to complete the text.

Histogram

Bar chart

Both

Neither

Explanation

Question 139 of 188

1

❌ Epidemic curve

Drag and drop to complete the text.

Histogram

Bar Chart

Both

Neither

Explanation

Question 140 of 188

1

Which of the following shapes of a population pyramid is most consistent with a young population?

Select one of the following:

Tall, narrow rectangle
Short, wide rectangle
Triangle base down
Triangle base up

Explanation

Question 141 of 188

1

A frequency polygon differs from a line graph because a frequency polygon:

Select one of the following:

Displays a frequency distribution; a line graph plots data points
Can show percentages on the y-axis; a line graph cannot
Cannot be used to plot data over time
All of the above

Explanation

Question 142 of 188

1

Y-axis shows percentages from 0% to 100%

Select one of the following:

Cumulative frequency curve
Survival curve
Both
Neither

Explanation

Question 143 of 188

1

Plotted curve usually begins in the upper left corner

Select one of the following:

Cumulative frequency curve
Survival curve
Both
Neither

Explanation

Question 144 of 188

1

Plotted curve usually begins in the lower left corner

Select one of the following:

Cumulative frequency curve
Survival curve
Both
Neither

Explanation

Question 145 of 188

1

Horizontal line drawn from 50% tick mark to plotted curve intersects at median

Select one of the following:

Cumulative frequency curve
Survival curve
Both
Neither

Explanation

Question 146 of 188

1

A scatter diagram is the graph of choice for plotting:

Select one or more of the following:

Anabolic steroid levels measured in both blood and urine among a group of athletes
Mean cholesterol levels over time in a population
Infant mortality rates by mean annual income among different countries
Systolic blood pressure by eye color (brown, blue, green, other) measured in each person

Explanation

Question 147 of 188

1

Which of the following requires more than one variable?

Select one of the following:

Frequency distribution
One-variable table
Pie chart
Scatter diagram
Simple bar chart

Explanation

Question 148 of 188

1

Compared with a scatter diagram, a dot plot:

Select one of the following:

Is another name for the same type of graph
Differ because a scatter diagram plots two continuous variables; a dot plot plots one continuous and one categorical variable
Differ because a scatter diagram plots one continuous and one categorical variable; a dot plot plots two continuous variables
Plots location of cases on a map

Explanation

Question 149 of 188

1

A spot map must reflect numbers; an area map must reflect rates.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 150 of 188

1

To display different rates on an area map using different colors, select different colors that have the same intensity, so as not to bias the audience.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 151 of 188

1

In an oral presentation, three-dimensional pie charts and three-dimensional columns in bar charts are desirable because they add visual interest to a slide.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 152 of 188

1

A 100% component bar chart shows the same data as a stacked bar chart. The key difference is in the units on the x-axis.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 153 of 188

1

When creating a bar chart, the decision to use vertical or horizontal bars is usually based on:

Select one of the following:

The magnitude of the data being graphed and hence the scale of the axis
Whether the data being graphed represent numbers or percentages
Whether the creator is an epidemiologist (who almost always use vertical bars)
Which looks better, such as whether the label fits below the bar

Explanation

Question 154 of 188

1

Select from the dropdown list to complete the text.

( Grouped bar chart, Histogram, Line graph, Pie chart ) Number of cases of dog bites by age group (adult or child) and sex of the victim

Explanation

Question 155 of 188

1

Select from the dropdown list to complete the text.

( Pie chart, Grouped bar chart, Histogram, Line graph )Number of cases of dog bites by breed of the dog

Explanation

Question 156 of 188

1

Select from the dropdown list to complete the text.

( Line graph, Grouped bar chart, Histogram, Pie Chart )Number of cases of dog bites per 100,000 population over time

Explanation

Question 157 of 188

1

Number of cases of dog bites over time

Select one or more of the following:

Grouped bar chart
Histogram
Line graph
Pie chart

Explanation

Question 158 of 188

1

Which are the most common ways that a local health department uncovers outbreaks?

Select one or more of the following:

Performing descriptive analysis of surveillance data each week
Performing time series analysis to detect deviations from expected values based on the previous few weeks and comparable periods during the previous few years
Receiving calls from affected residents
Receiving calls from healthcare providers
Reviewing all case reports received each week to detect common features

Explanation

Question 159 of 188

1

Factors that influence a health department's decision whether or not to conduct a field investigation in response to one or more cases of disease include

Select one of the following:

The nature of the disease
The number of cases
Resources available
Health department's traditional attitude toward conducting field investigations
All of the above

Explanation

Question 160 of 188

1

If a particular outbreak presents an unusual opportunity to learn more about the disease and its epidemiology by conducting a study, but early disease control measures would interfere with the study, one should conduct the study quickly, then implement control measures immediately afterwards.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 161 of 188

1

Outbreak with known causative agent, source, and mode of transmission

Select one or more of the following:

Disease control and prevention efforts take priority over investigation efforts
Investigation efforts take priority over disease control and prevention efforts

Explanation

Question 162 of 188

1

Outbreak with known causative agent, but unknown source and mode of transmission

Select one or more of the following:

Disease control and prevention efforts take priority over investigation efforts
Investigation efforts take priority over disease control and prevention efforts
If the agent is known but the source and mode of transmission are not known (example: Salmonella eventually traced to marijuana), then the health department does not know how to target its intervention. Investigation to learn the source and/or mode is necessary.

Explanation

Question 163 of 188

1

Outbreak with unknown causative agent, source, and mode of transmission

Select one or more of the following:

Disease control and prevention efforts take priority over investigation efforts
Investigation efforts take priority over disease control and prevention efforts

Explanation

Question 164 of 188

1

Use the following steps of an outbreak investigation for Question 5:
1. Analyze data by time, place, and person
2. Conduct a case-control study
3. Generate hypotheses
4. Conduct active surveillance for additional cases
5. Verify the diagnosis
6. Confirm that the number of cases exceeds the expected number
7. Talk with laboratorians about specimen collection

For an investigation of an outbreak, what is the logical conceptual order of the steps listed above?

Select one of the following:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7
5-6-4-1-2-3-7
6-5-3-1-2-7-4
6-5-7-4-1-3-2

Explanation

Question 165 of 188

1

To avoid skipping a critical step, investigators should conduct the steps of an outbreak investigation in the precise order you answered in Question 164.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 166 of 188

1

200 cases of Marburg virus infection in several districts in Angola over several months (usually none)

Select one of the following:

Cluster
Epidemic
Outbreak

Explanation

Question 167 of 188

1

40 cases ofSalmonella Enteritidis in 1 week traced to a single meal served at a cafeteria (usually none)

Select one of the following:

Cluster
Epidemic
Outbreak

Explanation

Question 168 of 188

1

10 cases of cancer diagnosed over 2 years among residents of a single neighborhood (previous data not available)

Select one of the following:

Cluster
Epidemic
Outbreak

Explanation

Question 169 of 188

1

Why should an investigator who has no clinical background nonetheless talk to a patient or two as an early step in the outbreak investigation?

Select one or more of the following:

To advise the patient about common risk factors and the usual course of the illness, after reviewing such information in appropriate reference material
To develop hypotheses about the cause of the outbreak
To learn more about the clinical manifestations of the disease
To verify the clinical findings as part of verifying the diagnosis
To verify the laboratory findings as part of verifying the diagnosis

Explanation

Question 170 of 188

1

A case definition during an outbreak investigation should NOT specify:

Select one of the following:

Clinical features
Time
Place
Person
Hypothesized exposure

Explanation

Question 171 of 188

1

Ideally, a case definition is 100% accurate in identifying who does and does not have the disease in question, but in reality few case definitions achieve this ideal.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 172 of 188

1

Once a case definition for an outbreak investigation has been established, it should not be changed.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 173 of 188

1

Common methods of identifying additional cases (expanding surveillance) as part of an outbreak investigation include:

Select one of the following:

Advising the public through newspapers, TV, radio, and the health department's website to contact the local health department
Asking case-patients who they were with at the time of exposure (if known)
Sending a fax to healthcare providers
Telephoning the infection control practitioners at local hospitals
All of the above
None of the above

Explanation

Question 174 of 188

1

A case report form devised for an outbreak investigation usually includes which of the following types of information?

Select one of the following:

Identifying information
Demographic information
Clinical information
Risk factor information
Reporter, interviewer, or data abstractor information
All of the above
None of the above

Explanation

Question 175 of 188

1

Descriptive epidemiology is essential for "characterizing the outbreak" by time, place, and person, but has little bearing on the analytic epidemiology.

Select one of the following:

True
False

Explanation

Question 176 of 188

1

A malfunctioning space heater was used each time the outside temperature dropped below freezing

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 177 of 188

1

At the Eclipse Restaurant, sodium nitrite was mistaken for table salt in the preparation of breakfast one morning only

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 178 of 188

1

Common cold passed from classmate to classmate

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 179 of 188

1

A group of tourists on a weeklong bus tour of a European country experienced an outbreak of norovirus. The group had followed a consistent meal time pattern: each morning they had breakfast together in whichever hotel they had stayed from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., stopped for lunch from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., then had dinner together either at the next hotel or at a restaurant at about 7:00 p.m. The incubation period for norovirus is about 24-48 hours, with a median of about 33 hours. On which day and at which meal was exposure most likely?

Select one of the following:

April 19 Dinner
April 20 Breakfast
April 20 Lunch
April 20 Dinner
April 21 Breakfast

Explanation

Question 180 of 188

1

Possible explanations for a case that occurs substantially later than the other cases in an outbreak include:

Select one of the following:

Similar but unrelated disease
Secondary case
Case with unusually long incubation period
Time of exposure later than others
Error in recording date
All of the above
None of the above

Explanation

Question 181 of 188

1

A spot map is particularly useful for displaying:

Select one or more of the following:

Geographic location of exposure of each case-patient
Residence of each case-patient
Incidence rate of disease by area
Prevalence rate of disease by area

Explanation

Question 182 of 188

1

Which of the following may be useful in generating hypotheses in an outbreak setting?

Select one of the following:

Review the literature
Look at the descriptive epidemiology
Look at the outliers
Talk with the local health authorities
Talk with a few of the case-patients
Talk with subject matter experts
All of the above
None of the above

Explanation

Question 183 of 188

1

The key feature of an analytic (epidemiologic) study is

Select one of the following:

Analysis by time, place, and person
Calculation of a risk ratio or odds ratio
Use of Epi Info to analyze the data
Presence of a comparison group

Explanation

Question 184 of 188

1

Disease control measures can be directed at the:

Select one of the following:

Agent
Source
Mode of transmission
Portal of entry
Host susceptibility
All of the above
None of the above

Explanation

Question 185 of 188

1

Use the information in the following paragraph and data in the table for Questions 185–188.

An outbreak of gastrointestinal disease occurred 24-36 hours after people had attended a wedding. Of the 203 attendees (including the bride and groom), 200 completed questionnaires, and 50 reported illness compatible with the case definition. Tabulated food consumption histories are presented in the table below.

Ate Specified Food Did Not Eat Specified Food
Food Item Ill Well Total Ill Well Total
Punch 46 (25%) 138 184 4 (25%) 12 16
Wedding Cake 45 (45%) 55 100 5 (5%) 95 100
Sushi 10 (91%) 1 11 40 (21%) 149 189

What is the following study?

Select one of the following:

Case Control
Cohort
Cross Sectional
Randomized Control Trial

Explanation

Question 186 of 188

1

The most appropriate measure of association for these data is the:

Select one of the following:

Attributable risk percent
Chi-square
Odds ratio
Risk ratio

Explanation

Question 187 of 188

1

Which food is the most likely culprit?

Select one of the following:

Punch
Wedding cake
Sushi
Can't determine from the data presented.
Must be more than one food.

	Created by Maria Margarita Samson over 6 years ago

Masters Degree Epidemiology Quiz on Epidemiology, created by Maria Margarita Samson on 01/12/2017.

Epidemiology

Question 1 of 188

In the definition of epidemiology, "distribution" refers to EXCEPT:

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 2 of 188

In the definition of epidemiology, "determinants" generally includes EXCEPT:

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 3 of 188

Epidemiology, as defined in this lesson, would NOT include which of the following activities?

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 4 of 188

John Snow's investigation of cholera is considered a model for epidemiologic field investigations because it includes the following EXCEPT:

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 5 of 188

Public health surveillance does NOT include which of the following activity:

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 6 of 188

The hallmark feature of an analytic epidemiologic study is:

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 7 of 188

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 8 of 188

Compare food histories between persons with Staphylococcus food poisoning and those without

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 9 of 188

Compare frequency of brain cancer among anatomists with frequency in general population

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 10 of 188

Mark on a map the residences of all children born with birth defects within 2 miles of a hazardous waste site

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 11 of 188

Graph the number of cases of congenital syphilis by year for the country

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 12 of 188

Recommend that close contacts of a child recently reported with meningococcal meningitis receive Rifampin

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 13 of 188

Tabulate the frequency of clinical signs, symptoms, and laboratory findings among children with chickenpox in Cincinnati, Ohio

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 14 of 188

Essay entitled “On Airs, Waters, and Places,” suggested that environmental and host factors such as behaviors

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 15 of 188

first to quantify patterns of birth, death, and disease occurrence, noting disparities between males and females, high infant mortality, urban/rural differences, and seasonal variations

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 16 of 188

Father of modern vital statistics and surveillance

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 17 of 188

Father of field epidemiology

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 18 of 188

Study linking lung cancer to smoking

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 19 of 188

Reviewing reports of test results for Chlamydia trachomatis from public health clinics

Select one of the following:

Explanation

Question 20 of 188

Meeting with directors of family planning clinics and college health clinics to discuss Chlamydia testing and reporting

Select one of the following: