PUBHLTH 200 – Exam 1 2026 – Study Guide and Practice Questions
What is health? - correct answer ✔✔ -The absence/presence of infirmity
-Homeostasis
-the condition of an organism at a given time
- include more than just physical well being
What is public health? - correct answer ✔✔ -protects and promotes health
-addressing problems before they occur and promoting conditions that people can thrive in
Defining features of public health - correct answer ✔✔ -population focus
-prevention emphasis
-interdisciplinary approach
-health equity
-community engagement
-evidence based-practice
-global reach
-policy and advocacy
-collaboration
-environmental health
What are the key measures of population health - correct answer ✔✔ infant mortality, life
expectancy, and mortality rates
What is a population health - correct answer ✔✔ the health outcomes of a group of individuals,
including the distribution of such outcomes within the group
,-measures risk factors or determinants of health outcomes
Why are trends important in population health - correct answer ✔✔ Trends in population
health includes looking at the averages to exam the distributions of outcomes and risk factors
Measure of population health - correct answer ✔✔ trends over time, comparisons, patterns in
data, underlying causes/ explanations, justification for public health interventions, assessment
of impact of interventions
Infant mortality - correct answer ✔✔ Number of deaths among children under the age of 1 per
1000 live births/year
Why did the infant mortality rate decline so much. What factors contributed most significantly
to the decline - correct answer ✔✔ It depends on the time frame, but popualtion health played
a central role
population health trend - correct answer ✔✔ Pre-1940: over 50% of total decline in infant
mortality 1915-1997 occurred in pre-antibiotic era (ex: before sulfonamide in 1937 and
penicillin in 1940s)
Describe the benefits and costs to health promotion activities - correct answer ✔✔ -Benefits:
abstract, deferred
-Costs: tangible, immediate
Describe the benefits and costs to disease promotion activities - correct answer ✔✔ -Benefits:
tangible, immediate
-Costs: abstract, deferred
How has COVID affected public health's credibility? - correct answer ✔✔ Inconsistencies in CDC
guidelines as new information emerged harmed public health's credibility
, What are the core functions of public health? - correct answer ✔✔ -Assessment
-Policy development
-Assuring needed services
Describe assessment - correct answer ✔✔ -Data collection
-Statistical and epidemiologic analysis
-Dissemination of findings
Describe policy development - correct answer ✔✔ -use of a scientific knowledge base
-engaging communities
-appreciation and use of the political process
Describe assuring needed services are available - correct answer ✔✔ Relies on:
-encouraging appropriate action by other entities (public or private)
-requiring such actions through law or regulation
-directly providing services
Why is public health often contentious? - correct answer ✔✔ -Public health efforts may restrict
individual liberty
-Public health challenges may question the role of individual responsibility
-Economic and public health interests are sometimes in conflict
-it may touch on moral issues
What makes public health important? - correct answer ✔✔ -Committed to promoting health for
communities
-A champion for social justice and health equity
What is health? - correct answer ✔✔ -The absence/presence of infirmity
-Homeostasis
-the condition of an organism at a given time
- include more than just physical well being
What is public health? - correct answer ✔✔ -protects and promotes health
-addressing problems before they occur and promoting conditions that people can thrive in
Defining features of public health - correct answer ✔✔ -population focus
-prevention emphasis
-interdisciplinary approach
-health equity
-community engagement
-evidence based-practice
-global reach
-policy and advocacy
-collaboration
-environmental health
What are the key measures of population health - correct answer ✔✔ infant mortality, life
expectancy, and mortality rates
What is a population health - correct answer ✔✔ the health outcomes of a group of individuals,
including the distribution of such outcomes within the group
,-measures risk factors or determinants of health outcomes
Why are trends important in population health - correct answer ✔✔ Trends in population
health includes looking at the averages to exam the distributions of outcomes and risk factors
Measure of population health - correct answer ✔✔ trends over time, comparisons, patterns in
data, underlying causes/ explanations, justification for public health interventions, assessment
of impact of interventions
Infant mortality - correct answer ✔✔ Number of deaths among children under the age of 1 per
1000 live births/year
Why did the infant mortality rate decline so much. What factors contributed most significantly
to the decline - correct answer ✔✔ It depends on the time frame, but popualtion health played
a central role
population health trend - correct answer ✔✔ Pre-1940: over 50% of total decline in infant
mortality 1915-1997 occurred in pre-antibiotic era (ex: before sulfonamide in 1937 and
penicillin in 1940s)
Describe the benefits and costs to health promotion activities - correct answer ✔✔ -Benefits:
abstract, deferred
-Costs: tangible, immediate
Describe the benefits and costs to disease promotion activities - correct answer ✔✔ -Benefits:
tangible, immediate
-Costs: abstract, deferred
How has COVID affected public health's credibility? - correct answer ✔✔ Inconsistencies in CDC
guidelines as new information emerged harmed public health's credibility
, What are the core functions of public health? - correct answer ✔✔ -Assessment
-Policy development
-Assuring needed services
Describe assessment - correct answer ✔✔ -Data collection
-Statistical and epidemiologic analysis
-Dissemination of findings
Describe policy development - correct answer ✔✔ -use of a scientific knowledge base
-engaging communities
-appreciation and use of the political process
Describe assuring needed services are available - correct answer ✔✔ Relies on:
-encouraging appropriate action by other entities (public or private)
-requiring such actions through law or regulation
-directly providing services
Why is public health often contentious? - correct answer ✔✔ -Public health efforts may restrict
individual liberty
-Public health challenges may question the role of individual responsibility
-Economic and public health interests are sometimes in conflict
-it may touch on moral issues
What makes public health important? - correct answer ✔✔ -Committed to promoting health for
communities
-A champion for social justice and health equity
