MPH 2026 – Study Guide and Key Concepts
What is public health? - correct answer ✔✔ *Population health perspective*
-(public medicine)
Who is the father of epidemiology? - correct answer ✔✔ *John Snow*
-English physician 1813-1858
What were some of *John Snow's* discoveries? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. Refuted miasma
2. Tracing of cholera spread in London
3. *Broad Street pump*
4. Applied statistics to examine clusters of outbreak
5. Pioneer of anesthesia & medical hygiene
("Ghost Map" of Cholera)
Who is the Pioneer of Antisepsis? - correct answer ✔✔ *Sir Joseph Lister*
-British surgeon 1827-1912
What were some of *Sir Joseph Lister's* discoveries? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. Sterile surgical
techniques as standard
2. Phenol (carbolic acid)
3. Reduction in post-op infections and recovery
,Primary prevention - correct answer ✔✔ *"Pre-pathogenesis phase"*
*Prior to exposure* of disease source
What is the goal of *primary* prevention? - correct answer ✔✔ Remove cause of disease
(*Immunizations*)
What are some forms of *primary* prevention? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. Health
promotion/education
2. Nutrition/diet supplementation
3. Adequate housing, recreation, agreeable working conditions
4. *Immunizations*
5. Environmental sanitation
6. Protection against occupational hazards
Secondary prevention - correct answer ✔✔ *"Pathogenesis phase"*
*Prior to onset of symptoms* from disease, or complications of disease
What are some forms of *secondary* prevention? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. *Screening*:
-cholesterol, BP, HIV, PKU, PAP, Mammogram, colonoscopy >50 years old
2. *Case-finding*: > 40 physicals
3. *Chemoprophylaxis*:
,-rabies post exposure prophylaxis (PEP), anthrax Rx
Tertiary prevention - correct answer ✔✔ *"Post-event phase"*
*Limiting disability* after irreversible changes have resulted from disease
What are some forms of *tertiary* prevention? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. Environmental
adaptations to home/work
2. Education, counseling, or support to assist individual & family to adapt
3. Employment to the maximum possible extent
4. Work therapy programs (OT/PT)
5. Sheltered workshops, group homes
Epidemiology - correct answer ✔✔ The study of the *distribution & determinants* of health &
diseases in *specified populations* and the application of this study to control those identified
health problems
(Morbidity, Injury, Disability, Mortality)
Epidemiological triad - correct answer ✔✔ 1. *Causative agent*
2. *Susceptible person or host*
3. *Environment*
(4. Vector)
What are the aims of epidemiology? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. *Describe* the health status of
*populations*
, 2. *Explain* the etiology of disease
3. *Predict* the occurrence of disease
4. *Control* the occurrence of disease
Communicable Period - correct answer ✔✔ Period of time during which an infectious agent may
be *transferred* from an infected person or animal to a susceptible host
Incubation Period - correct answer ✔✔ Time interval between *exposure* to the agent and the
*onset* of clinical illness
(AKA: symptoms)
*Direct* Transmission - correct answer ✔✔ *Person to person*
-touching, kissing, sex
*Droplet Spread*
-Large droplets from source
-Travel short distance
-*Not suspended in air*
*Indirect* transmission - correct answer ✔✔ *Vehicle-Borne*
-Food & water (Fecal/Oral)
*Fomite*
-Contaminated object
*Vector-Borne*
What is public health? - correct answer ✔✔ *Population health perspective*
-(public medicine)
Who is the father of epidemiology? - correct answer ✔✔ *John Snow*
-English physician 1813-1858
What were some of *John Snow's* discoveries? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. Refuted miasma
2. Tracing of cholera spread in London
3. *Broad Street pump*
4. Applied statistics to examine clusters of outbreak
5. Pioneer of anesthesia & medical hygiene
("Ghost Map" of Cholera)
Who is the Pioneer of Antisepsis? - correct answer ✔✔ *Sir Joseph Lister*
-British surgeon 1827-1912
What were some of *Sir Joseph Lister's* discoveries? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. Sterile surgical
techniques as standard
2. Phenol (carbolic acid)
3. Reduction in post-op infections and recovery
,Primary prevention - correct answer ✔✔ *"Pre-pathogenesis phase"*
*Prior to exposure* of disease source
What is the goal of *primary* prevention? - correct answer ✔✔ Remove cause of disease
(*Immunizations*)
What are some forms of *primary* prevention? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. Health
promotion/education
2. Nutrition/diet supplementation
3. Adequate housing, recreation, agreeable working conditions
4. *Immunizations*
5. Environmental sanitation
6. Protection against occupational hazards
Secondary prevention - correct answer ✔✔ *"Pathogenesis phase"*
*Prior to onset of symptoms* from disease, or complications of disease
What are some forms of *secondary* prevention? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. *Screening*:
-cholesterol, BP, HIV, PKU, PAP, Mammogram, colonoscopy >50 years old
2. *Case-finding*: > 40 physicals
3. *Chemoprophylaxis*:
,-rabies post exposure prophylaxis (PEP), anthrax Rx
Tertiary prevention - correct answer ✔✔ *"Post-event phase"*
*Limiting disability* after irreversible changes have resulted from disease
What are some forms of *tertiary* prevention? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. Environmental
adaptations to home/work
2. Education, counseling, or support to assist individual & family to adapt
3. Employment to the maximum possible extent
4. Work therapy programs (OT/PT)
5. Sheltered workshops, group homes
Epidemiology - correct answer ✔✔ The study of the *distribution & determinants* of health &
diseases in *specified populations* and the application of this study to control those identified
health problems
(Morbidity, Injury, Disability, Mortality)
Epidemiological triad - correct answer ✔✔ 1. *Causative agent*
2. *Susceptible person or host*
3. *Environment*
(4. Vector)
What are the aims of epidemiology? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. *Describe* the health status of
*populations*
, 2. *Explain* the etiology of disease
3. *Predict* the occurrence of disease
4. *Control* the occurrence of disease
Communicable Period - correct answer ✔✔ Period of time during which an infectious agent may
be *transferred* from an infected person or animal to a susceptible host
Incubation Period - correct answer ✔✔ Time interval between *exposure* to the agent and the
*onset* of clinical illness
(AKA: symptoms)
*Direct* Transmission - correct answer ✔✔ *Person to person*
-touching, kissing, sex
*Droplet Spread*
-Large droplets from source
-Travel short distance
-*Not suspended in air*
*Indirect* transmission - correct answer ✔✔ *Vehicle-Borne*
-Food & water (Fecal/Oral)
*Fomite*
-Contaminated object
*Vector-Borne*
