PUBHLTH 200 – Exam 1 2026 – Study Guide and Practice Questions
Public health focuses on populations, whereas medicine focuses on individuals. - correct answer
✔✔ True
Which of the following health measures has the greatest potential for the prevention of disease
and premature mortality? - correct answer ✔✔ Modification of personal health behavior
Which of the following had the greatest impact on average life expectancy in the US between
1900 and 2000? - correct answer ✔✔ Improved sanitation, housing, nutrition, and job safety
According to Professor Warner, public health is a "tough sell" because in many cases: - correct
answer ✔✔ The benefits are deferred, the costs are immediate
Most people lack a good understanding of public health because: - correct answer ✔✔ The
silent victories of public health translate into public health invisibility.
Which of the following is necessarily a goal of public health? - correct answer ✔✔ To ensure
that people have needed services
Epidemiology is part of what function of public health? - correct answer ✔✔ Assessment
Which of the five core areas of public health is concerned with examining the health risks of
exposure to BPA, a chemical used to make certain plastics? - correct answer ✔✔ Environmental
Health Sciences
According to Schneider, traffic lights and highway dividers are primary prevention because
__________, car airbags and seat belts are secondary prevention because __________, and
emergency medical services are tertiary prevention because __________. - correct answer ✔✔
,they are designed to prevent motor vehicle crashes from occurring, they are designed to reduce
the severity of injuries occurring during a crash, they minimize disability resulting from injuries
through the provision of medical care
primary intervention - correct answer ✔✔ an intervention that occurs before the onset of the
disease (ex. safe sex education campaign, condom distribution)
secondary intervention - correct answer ✔✔ early detection of disease or risk factors and
intervention during an asymptomatic phase (ex. free, rapid, and confidential STD screening,
partner notification)
tertiary intervention - correct answer ✔✔ a program designed to help individuals who already
exhibit a problem or condition (ex. low-cost treatment options)
In which form of justice are collective actions leading to the assumption of additional burdens
often necessary in order to assure the fair distribution of societal benefits? - correct answer ✔✔
Social justice
What is the definition of the tragedy of the commons? - correct answer ✔✔ When the short-
term, positive effects go to the individual, while the long-term, negative effects are spread out
to the group
Which of the following justifications for limiting people's freedom is likely to be the most
controversial? - correct answer ✔✔ To prevent someone from harming himself
In the US, the prevailing attitude toward seatbelt laws reflects a __________ perspective on
motor vehicle injuries as a public health issue. - correct answer ✔✔ paternalistic
In the US, the prevailing attitude toward gun control reflects a __________ perspective on gun
violence as a public health issue. - correct answer ✔✔ libertarian
, Ethnicity is typically based on (check all that apply) - correct answer ✔✔ shared language,
shared traditions, shared religion, shared history
Three different types or ways individuals experience racism include __________, racism,
experiences between people, __________ racism - policies or practices that reinforce
inequitable distribution of resources and __________ racism - policies that are explicitly or
intentionally designed to benefit non-minorities, or to harm minority communities. - correct
answer ✔✔ interpersonal, structural, institutional
Health disparities adversely affect groups of people at a disadvantage due to their:] - correct
answer ✔✔ mental health, religion, ethnicity, geographic location
Health equity requires striving for the highest standard of health for [ ] people. - correct answer
✔✔ all
True or False: health equity is impossible to achieve because people are born with innate
differences in health. - correct answer ✔✔ False
How long as there been a health gap between White and Black Americans? - correct answer
✔✔ It has existed for as long as we've had data
According to the article by Kindig and Stoddard, which of the following is considered to be a
component of the definition of 'Population Health'? - correct answer ✔✔ Assessment of health
outcomes in a population, assessment of determinants of health outcomes in a population,
policies that influence determinants of health outcomes in a population
Which of the following concepts is focused primarily on the 'individual'? - correct answer ✔✔
Health
Public health focuses on populations, whereas medicine focuses on individuals. - correct answer
✔✔ True
Which of the following health measures has the greatest potential for the prevention of disease
and premature mortality? - correct answer ✔✔ Modification of personal health behavior
Which of the following had the greatest impact on average life expectancy in the US between
1900 and 2000? - correct answer ✔✔ Improved sanitation, housing, nutrition, and job safety
According to Professor Warner, public health is a "tough sell" because in many cases: - correct
answer ✔✔ The benefits are deferred, the costs are immediate
Most people lack a good understanding of public health because: - correct answer ✔✔ The
silent victories of public health translate into public health invisibility.
Which of the following is necessarily a goal of public health? - correct answer ✔✔ To ensure
that people have needed services
Epidemiology is part of what function of public health? - correct answer ✔✔ Assessment
Which of the five core areas of public health is concerned with examining the health risks of
exposure to BPA, a chemical used to make certain plastics? - correct answer ✔✔ Environmental
Health Sciences
According to Schneider, traffic lights and highway dividers are primary prevention because
__________, car airbags and seat belts are secondary prevention because __________, and
emergency medical services are tertiary prevention because __________. - correct answer ✔✔
,they are designed to prevent motor vehicle crashes from occurring, they are designed to reduce
the severity of injuries occurring during a crash, they minimize disability resulting from injuries
through the provision of medical care
primary intervention - correct answer ✔✔ an intervention that occurs before the onset of the
disease (ex. safe sex education campaign, condom distribution)
secondary intervention - correct answer ✔✔ early detection of disease or risk factors and
intervention during an asymptomatic phase (ex. free, rapid, and confidential STD screening,
partner notification)
tertiary intervention - correct answer ✔✔ a program designed to help individuals who already
exhibit a problem or condition (ex. low-cost treatment options)
In which form of justice are collective actions leading to the assumption of additional burdens
often necessary in order to assure the fair distribution of societal benefits? - correct answer ✔✔
Social justice
What is the definition of the tragedy of the commons? - correct answer ✔✔ When the short-
term, positive effects go to the individual, while the long-term, negative effects are spread out
to the group
Which of the following justifications for limiting people's freedom is likely to be the most
controversial? - correct answer ✔✔ To prevent someone from harming himself
In the US, the prevailing attitude toward seatbelt laws reflects a __________ perspective on
motor vehicle injuries as a public health issue. - correct answer ✔✔ paternalistic
In the US, the prevailing attitude toward gun control reflects a __________ perspective on gun
violence as a public health issue. - correct answer ✔✔ libertarian
, Ethnicity is typically based on (check all that apply) - correct answer ✔✔ shared language,
shared traditions, shared religion, shared history
Three different types or ways individuals experience racism include __________, racism,
experiences between people, __________ racism - policies or practices that reinforce
inequitable distribution of resources and __________ racism - policies that are explicitly or
intentionally designed to benefit non-minorities, or to harm minority communities. - correct
answer ✔✔ interpersonal, structural, institutional
Health disparities adversely affect groups of people at a disadvantage due to their:] - correct
answer ✔✔ mental health, religion, ethnicity, geographic location
Health equity requires striving for the highest standard of health for [ ] people. - correct answer
✔✔ all
True or False: health equity is impossible to achieve because people are born with innate
differences in health. - correct answer ✔✔ False
How long as there been a health gap between White and Black Americans? - correct answer
✔✔ It has existed for as long as we've had data
According to the article by Kindig and Stoddard, which of the following is considered to be a
component of the definition of 'Population Health'? - correct answer ✔✔ Assessment of health
outcomes in a population, assessment of determinants of health outcomes in a population,
policies that influence determinants of health outcomes in a population
Which of the following concepts is focused primarily on the 'individual'? - correct answer ✔✔
Health
