SPHL100 Quiz H FCs

What is epidemiology?

Epidemiology is the study of how diseases affect the health and distribution of populations, identifying patterns, causes, and control measures.

What is unique about epidemiological studies?

Epidemiological studies focus on populations rather than individuals and often rely on observational methods to identify associations between exposures and health outcomes.

What kind of information does epidemiology provide to support public health?

Epidemiology provides data on disease patterns, risk factors, prevention strategies, and the effectiveness of interventions to guide public health decisions.

How do you calculate prevalence?

(Number of existing cases / Total population) × 100

How do you calculate incidence?

(Number of new cases / Population at risk during a time period) × 100

What is the difference between a Type I and Type II error?

A Type I error (false positive) occurs when a true null hypothesis is incorrectly rejected. A Type II error (false negative) occurs when a false null hypothesis is not rejected.

What is the difference between prevalence vs. incidence?

Prevalence measures the proportion of a population with a disease at a given time, while incidence measures the rate of new cases over a period of time.

What does a QALY measure?

A Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) measures both the quantity and quality of life gained from a healthcare intervention.

What does a DALY measure?

A Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) measures the total burden of disease by combining years of life lost due to premature death and years lived with disability.

What is specificity?

Specificity is the ability of a test to correctly identify those without a disease (true negatives).

What is sensitivity?

Sensitivity is the ability of a test to correctly identify those with a disease (true positives).

Specificity vs. Sensitivity

Sensitivity detects true positives, while specificity detects true negatives. A highly sensitive test minimizes false negatives, while a highly specific test minimizes false positives.

What is the difference between an analytic and descriptive case study?

Descriptive studies summarize data about an event or disease, while analytic studies investigate associations between risk factors and health outcomes.

What are some of the roles of public health data?

Public health data help track disease trends, allocate resources, evaluate interventions, inform policy, and improve health outcomes.

What is the US Census?

The US Census is a nationwide survey conducted every ten years to count the population and collect demographic data.

Why is it important to participate in the US Census?

Participation ensures accurate representation, determines funding allocations, and affects political representation in government.

What is the function of the US Census?

The Census collects data for government resource distribution, infrastructure planning, and political representation.

How does the US Census impact the assignment of political power within a state?

Census data determine congressional representation and electoral votes, affecting political influence at state and federal levels.

What is the American Community Survey (ACS)?

The ACS is an ongoing survey by the US Census Bureau that provides detailed demographic, economic, and housing data annually.

How do you determine if a data source is reliable?

A reliable source is credible, unbiased, supported by evidence, cited by experts, and published by reputable organizations or institutions.