ACVPM Epidemiology and Biostats Exam
Questions With Correct Answers
Define epidemiology - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-largely concerned with disease
| | | | | | | |
prevention and therefore with the succession of events which result in the
| | | | | | | | | | | |
exposure of specific types of individual to specific types of environment.
| | | | | | | | | | |
Epidemiologists ID exposures and evaluate associations with health, welfare,
| | | | | | | | |
productivity and other outcomes of interest | | | | |
what is the major difference between epidemiologists and laboratory scientists? -
| | | | | | | | | |
CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-epidemiologists study health and disease outcomes in the
| | | | | | | | |
real world (under field conditions)
| | | | |
what is the primary study design of epidemiology - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-
| | | | | | | | | |
observational
define inductive reasoning - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-process of making
| | | | | | | |
generalized inferences about causation based on repeated observations
| | | | | | |
define deductive reasoning - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-process of inferring general
| | | | | | | | |
law of nature exists and has application in specific or local instance where a
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hypothesis about a law of nature starts and observations are made to challenge
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
the law
|
define what a cause is in epidemiology - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-a cause is any
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
factor that produces a change in the severity or frequency of the outcome
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,define the component-cause model - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-based on concepts
| | | | | | | | |
of necessary and sufficient causes developed by Rothman in 1976. Necessary
| | | | | | | | | | |
cause is one without which the disease CANNOT occur (the factor will ALWAYS be
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
present if the dz occurs). Sufficient cause always producers the disease (if the
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
factor is present, DZ will follow). Component-cause is one of a NUMBER of factors
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|that in COMBINATION constitute a sufficient cause. Factors may be present
| | | | | | | | | | |
simultaneously or in sequence. | | |
define causal complements in the component-cause model - CORRECT
| | | | | | | | |
ANSWER✔✔-additional components beyond the selected one that form sufficient | | | | | | | |
causes for the exposure factor
| | | | |
define the prevention paradox - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-large numbers of ppl
| | | | | | | | | |
must participate in prevention to benefit the relatively few + large benefit of
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
prevention at level of group often offers little to each of the individuals of the
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
group.
what is a causal-web - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-links indirect and direct (often
| | | | | | | | | | |
proximal causes) causes (complements the component-cause model)
| | | | | |
what is the most widely accepted conceptual basis for causation in epidemiology?
| | | | | | | | | | |
- CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-counterfactual or potential outcomes model
| | | | | | |
does association always imply causation? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-absolutely not
| | | | | | | |
,what is a confounder? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-a variable (measured or not)
| | | | | | | | | | |
related to exposure and outcome
| | | |
define causal-effect coefficient - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-value of causation
| | | | | | | |
determined by the measure of association | | | | |
what are other names for causal diagrams? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-directed
| | | | | | | | | |
acyclic graphs or modified path models
| | | | |
what makes up the total causal effect in a causal diagram? - CORRECT
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
ANSWER✔✔-direct + indirect causal path effects | | | | |
how do you handle intervening variables in causal diagrams to estimate causal-
| | | | | | | | | | |
effect? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-you do not include them in statistical model
| | | | | | | | | | |
(include only confounders)
| |
what are Hill's criteria for causation? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-1) temporality 2)
| | | | | | | | | | |
strength of association 3) consistency 4) biological plausibility 5) dose-response 6)
| | | | | | | | | |
specificity 7) analogy 8) experimental evidence
| | | | | |
how do screening and diagnostic tests vary? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-screening:
| | | | | | | | | |
tests to be used in healthy animals (detect prevalence, disease agents)
| | | | | | | | | |
diagnostic: confirm or classify dz, guide tx or aid in prognosis of clinical dz
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(abnormal animals/challenge to ID specific dz)
| | | | |
NOTE: principles of evaluation/interpretation are the same for both tests
| | | | | | | | |
, define analytic sensitivity and specificity - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-sensitivity:
| | | | | | | |
detect chemical at the lowest concentration the test can detected
| | | | | | | | |
specificity: capacity of a test to react to only one chemical compound
| | | | | | | | | | |
define laboratory accuracy and precision - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-accuracy:
| | | | | | | |
ability to give a true measure of chemical
| | | | | | |
precision: relates to consistency of the results
| | | | | |
define lab repeatability, reproducibility, reliability and agreement - CORRECT
| | | | | | | | |
ANSWER✔✔-repeatability: variability among results obtained from repeated | | | | | | |
testing of same sample within same lab
| | | | | | |
reproducibility: variability among test results obtained from testing same sample
| | | | | | | | | |
from different labs
| | |
reliability: refers to ability of a test to distinguish between individuals
| | | | | | | | | |
agreement: how well 2 tests agree (measured similarly to precision)
| | | | | | | | |
what are commonly used techniques for quantifying variability between pairs of
| | | | | | | | | | |
test results (precision)? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-1) coefficient of variation 2)
| | | | | | | | | |
Pearson correlation coefficient 3) concordance correlation coefficient 4) limits of
| | | | | | | | | |
agreement plots 5) Intraclass correlation coefficient
| | | | |
which one is recommended Pearson correlation coeff or concordance correlation
| | | | | | | | | |
coeff for measuring linear associations between tests and why? - CORRECT
| | | | | | | | | | |
ANSWER✔✔-Concordance because Pearson ignores the scales of the 2 sets of | | | | | | | | | | |
results
Questions With Correct Answers
Define epidemiology - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-largely concerned with disease
| | | | | | | |
prevention and therefore with the succession of events which result in the
| | | | | | | | | | | |
exposure of specific types of individual to specific types of environment.
| | | | | | | | | | |
Epidemiologists ID exposures and evaluate associations with health, welfare,
| | | | | | | | |
productivity and other outcomes of interest | | | | |
what is the major difference between epidemiologists and laboratory scientists? -
| | | | | | | | | |
CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-epidemiologists study health and disease outcomes in the
| | | | | | | | |
real world (under field conditions)
| | | | |
what is the primary study design of epidemiology - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-
| | | | | | | | | |
observational
define inductive reasoning - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-process of making
| | | | | | | |
generalized inferences about causation based on repeated observations
| | | | | | |
define deductive reasoning - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-process of inferring general
| | | | | | | | |
law of nature exists and has application in specific or local instance where a
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
hypothesis about a law of nature starts and observations are made to challenge
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
the law
|
define what a cause is in epidemiology - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-a cause is any
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
factor that produces a change in the severity or frequency of the outcome
| | | | | | | | | | | |
,define the component-cause model - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-based on concepts
| | | | | | | | |
of necessary and sufficient causes developed by Rothman in 1976. Necessary
| | | | | | | | | | |
cause is one without which the disease CANNOT occur (the factor will ALWAYS be
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
present if the dz occurs). Sufficient cause always producers the disease (if the
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
factor is present, DZ will follow). Component-cause is one of a NUMBER of factors
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|that in COMBINATION constitute a sufficient cause. Factors may be present
| | | | | | | | | | |
simultaneously or in sequence. | | |
define causal complements in the component-cause model - CORRECT
| | | | | | | | |
ANSWER✔✔-additional components beyond the selected one that form sufficient | | | | | | | |
causes for the exposure factor
| | | | |
define the prevention paradox - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-large numbers of ppl
| | | | | | | | | |
must participate in prevention to benefit the relatively few + large benefit of
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
prevention at level of group often offers little to each of the individuals of the
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
group.
what is a causal-web - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-links indirect and direct (often
| | | | | | | | | | |
proximal causes) causes (complements the component-cause model)
| | | | | |
what is the most widely accepted conceptual basis for causation in epidemiology?
| | | | | | | | | | |
- CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-counterfactual or potential outcomes model
| | | | | | |
does association always imply causation? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-absolutely not
| | | | | | | |
,what is a confounder? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-a variable (measured or not)
| | | | | | | | | | |
related to exposure and outcome
| | | |
define causal-effect coefficient - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-value of causation
| | | | | | | |
determined by the measure of association | | | | |
what are other names for causal diagrams? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-directed
| | | | | | | | | |
acyclic graphs or modified path models
| | | | |
what makes up the total causal effect in a causal diagram? - CORRECT
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
ANSWER✔✔-direct + indirect causal path effects | | | | |
how do you handle intervening variables in causal diagrams to estimate causal-
| | | | | | | | | | |
effect? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-you do not include them in statistical model
| | | | | | | | | | |
(include only confounders)
| |
what are Hill's criteria for causation? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-1) temporality 2)
| | | | | | | | | | |
strength of association 3) consistency 4) biological plausibility 5) dose-response 6)
| | | | | | | | | |
specificity 7) analogy 8) experimental evidence
| | | | | |
how do screening and diagnostic tests vary? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-screening:
| | | | | | | | | |
tests to be used in healthy animals (detect prevalence, disease agents)
| | | | | | | | | |
diagnostic: confirm or classify dz, guide tx or aid in prognosis of clinical dz
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(abnormal animals/challenge to ID specific dz)
| | | | |
NOTE: principles of evaluation/interpretation are the same for both tests
| | | | | | | | |
, define analytic sensitivity and specificity - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-sensitivity:
| | | | | | | |
detect chemical at the lowest concentration the test can detected
| | | | | | | | |
specificity: capacity of a test to react to only one chemical compound
| | | | | | | | | | |
define laboratory accuracy and precision - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-accuracy:
| | | | | | | |
ability to give a true measure of chemical
| | | | | | |
precision: relates to consistency of the results
| | | | | |
define lab repeatability, reproducibility, reliability and agreement - CORRECT
| | | | | | | | |
ANSWER✔✔-repeatability: variability among results obtained from repeated | | | | | | |
testing of same sample within same lab
| | | | | | |
reproducibility: variability among test results obtained from testing same sample
| | | | | | | | | |
from different labs
| | |
reliability: refers to ability of a test to distinguish between individuals
| | | | | | | | | |
agreement: how well 2 tests agree (measured similarly to precision)
| | | | | | | | |
what are commonly used techniques for quantifying variability between pairs of
| | | | | | | | | | |
test results (precision)? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-1) coefficient of variation 2)
| | | | | | | | | |
Pearson correlation coefficient 3) concordance correlation coefficient 4) limits of
| | | | | | | | | |
agreement plots 5) Intraclass correlation coefficient
| | | | |
which one is recommended Pearson correlation coeff or concordance correlation
| | | | | | | | | |
coeff for measuring linear associations between tests and why? - CORRECT
| | | | | | | | | | |
ANSWER✔✔-Concordance because Pearson ignores the scales of the 2 sets of | | | | | | | | | | |
results
