PBH111 Practice Questions Exam #1
1. The upstream approach to public health focuses on prevention and addressing root causes of disease. T or F
2. Which core public health function involves enforcing laws and regulations?
A. Assessment
B. Surveillance
C. Assurance
D. Policy development
3. Which is an example of secondary prevention?
A. Vaccination
B. Smoking bans
C. Cancer screening
D. Physical rehabilitation
Short Answer
4. Explain the upstream–downstream parable.
5. Describe the three core functions of public health.
Multiple Choice
1. Which is NOT a social determinant of health?
A. Education
B. Income
C. Genetics
D. Housing
2. Family and peer influences fall under which ecological level?
A. Intrapersonal
B. Interpersonal
C. Institutional
D. Policy
Short Answer
3. Define social determinants of health and give two examples.
4. Explain how socioeconomic status affects health.
Multiple Choice/True/False
1. Infant mortality rate is defined as deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births.
2. Which group has the highest maternal mortality rates in the U.S.?
A. Asian Americans
B. Hispanic people
C. Non-Hispanic Black people
D. Non-Hispanic White people
Short Answer
3. Why is infant mortality an indicator of population health?
4. Define the sandwich generation.
Multiple Choice
1. Which philosophy emphasizes individual responsibility and minimal obligation to the common good?
A. Social justice
B. Market justice
C. Paternalism
D. Communitarianism
2. Which food is most commonly associated with cholera-related bacteria and hepatitis A?
A. Scallops
B. Mussels
C. Oysters
D. Blue crab
3. Which payment model incentivizes providing a higher volume of services?
A. Managed care
B. Capitation
C. Global budgeting
D. Fee-for-service
4. The primary mission of local health departments includes which of the following?
A. Licensing physicians
B. Administering Medicare
C. Communicable disease control
D. Setting hospital prices
5. Which group has a legally recognized right to health care in the U.S.?
A. Uninsured adults
B. Veterans and prisoners
C. Gig workers
D. All residents
True / False
6. The FDA is able to inspect food-processing facilities every two years. (T/F)
7. Community health centers primarily serve people who otherwise lack access to care. (T/F)
8. All foodborne illnesses are reported to public health authorities. (T/F)
9. Administrative complexity is a unique contributor to high U.S. medical costs. (T/F)
10. Public health policies never conflict with moral or religious beliefs. (T/F)
Short Answer
11. Define police powers and give one public health example.
12. Name one disease prevented by food fortification and the nutrient involved.
13. What organization manages organ allocation in the United States?
14. Briefly explain how cost-sharing can influence patient behavior.
15. Identify one trade-off between managed care and fee-for-service models.
1. Which concept best explains why states, rather than the federal government, lead most public health activities?
A. Market justice
B. Police powers
C. Federalism
D. Administrative complexity
2. Which of the following best illustrates social justice in public health?
A. Individuals paying for all of their own health care
B. Limited government involvement in health markets
C. Collective responsibility for population health
D. Emphasis on personal choice over regulation
3. Which factor most limits the FDA’s ability to inspect food facilities frequently?
A. Industry resistance
B. Lack of scientific evidence
C. Budget and staffing constraints
D. State-level authority
4. Which foodborne illness is most often viral rather than bacterial?
A. Salmonella
B. E. coli
C. Norovirus
D. Listeria
5. Food fortification policies are primarily designed to:
A. Improve food taste
B. Reduce food costs
C. Prevent population-level nutrient deficiencies
D. Eliminate foodborne pathogens
6. Which payment model creates incentives for prevention and cost control?
A. Fee-for-service
B. Capitation
C. Uninsured care
D. Out-of-pocket payment
7. Which group is most likely to experience barriers due to being underinsured?
A. Individuals with no health insurance
B. Individuals with coverage but high deductibles
C. Veterans receiving VA care
D. Prison populations
8. Which best describes the U.S. health care system’s downstream focus?
A. Investment in social determinants of health
B. Emphasis on early prevention
C. Treatment after disease develops
D. Universal access to primary care
True / False
9. Moral and religious opposition has influenced public health policy debates throughout U.S. history. (T/F)
10. Shellfish pose a higher food safety risk because they filter contaminated water. (T/F)
11. Antibiotic use in animal agriculture has no impact on human health. (T/F)
12. Administrative costs are a minor contributor to U.S. health care spending. (T/F)
13. Managed care models generally trade provider choice for lower costs. (T/F)
14. The Affordable Care Act eliminated all disparities in access to health care. (T/F)
Short Answer
15. Explain one way government police powers may conflict with individual liberty.
16. Identify one example of unintended consequences related to public health regulation.
17. Name one high-risk population for foodborne illness and explain why they are at increased risk.
18. Briefly describe how coinsurance differs from a copayment.
19. What is one reason the U.S. spends more on health care than other high-income countries?
20. Describe one ethical challenge involved in allocating scarce medical resources.