Modules 3-6 GLPH 271 Test Questions
with All Correct Verified Answers
2025/2026 Updated.
What does the global burden of disease (GBD) measure - Answer Global Burden of Disease
(G B D) is a measure of total health loss from hundreds of diseases and injuries (and their risk
factors) that provides insight into the health status of different populations throughout the
world. The Global Burden of Disease (G B D) Study tabulates all available information about the
causes of deaths and disability in the world and DALYs are used to report on the health status of
countries across the globe.
What diseases and illnesses fall under Group 1 by the GBD tool? - Answer Group 1 includes
communicable diseases, and maternal, neonatal, and nutritional conditions. Communicable,
maternal, neonatal, perinatal, and nutritional disorders (e.g. tuberculosis, H I V, malaria)
represent 2 out of every 10 deaths that occur globally. These conditions occur largely in low-
income populations due to inadequate access to healthcare, particularly preventative care.
Although the global rate of death is estimated at 20%, the rate is 50% in low socio-demographic
index(S D I) regions, and only 5% in high S D I regions.
What diseases and illnesses fall under Group 2 by the GBD tool? - Answer Non-
Communicable DiseasesNon-Communicable Diseases (N C Ds) (e.g. coronary artery disease,
cancer, mental illness) account for about 7 out of 10 deaths globally. This means that out o f the
three health categories, the majority of deaths are due to non-communicable diseases.Despite
accounting for roughly 70% of deaths globally, many of the lower S D I countries do not have a
rate this high. In 2019 N C Ds were responsible for 41% of deaths in low S D I regions, and 88%
in high SD I regions.
What diseases and illnesses fall under Group 3 by the GBD tool? - Answer Injuries (e.g. car
crashes, suicide, and war injuries) represent roughly 1 in 10 deaths that occur globally.This
category represents the largest difference between the sexes, with injuries accounting for 12%
of overall male deaths and 6% of female deaths in 2019
the largest difference between the sexes with respect to death rates occurs in the injury
category of G B D. In Canada, 10,957 men and 6,414 women died as a result of injury in 2015,
which follows the results of the G B D. Additionally, First Nations, Inuit, and Metis populations
are 3.5,3.2, and 2.7 times more likely to die, respectively, by injury than the general population
in Canada. When considering injury related deaths, why might the difference between sexes be
so vast?Why might Canadian Indigenous populations be more at risk of dying by injury? -
Answer Typically, men engage in more unsafe behaviour and employment than women, and
are less likely to be protected by someone else, whereas women might be protected by their
brother, father, etc.Indigenous populations may be less likely to seek or receive poor medical
treatment when injured as a result of stigma and historical oppression.
,What is Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY)? - Answer Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) is
a measure of overall disease burden, which is expressed as the cumulative number of years lost
due to ill-health, disability, or early death
What is Years Lived with Disability (YLD)? - Answer Y L D multiplies the number of years a
person has a condition that affects their quality of life. Each condition has a weighting factor
between 0 and 1, 0 being perfect health and 1 being death. The rating is indicative of the degree
to which a disease negatively impacts an individual's life.
What is Years of Life Lost (YLL)? - Answer A measure of how many years of expected life are
lost due to premature death
Y L L = (# of Deaths) x (Life Expectancy - Age of Death)
What is The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (I H M E)? - Answer They made the
GDP compare tool, an interactive tool to analyze global health trends from 1990 to present. This
tool enables you to see how patterns of disease changeover time and to compare disease
trends by country, age, and sex.An independent population health research center at U W
Medicine, part of the University of Washington, that provides rigorous and comparable
measurement of the world's most important health problems and evaluates the strategies used
to address them. I H M E makes this information freely available so that policymakers have the
evidence they need to make informed decisions about how to allocate resources to best
improve population health.
What has happened to DALYs of H I V, tuberculosis, and malaria depression and ischemic heart
disease from 2005-2019 - Answer DALYs of H I V, tuberculosis, and malaria have decreased,
while DALYs of depression and ischemicheart disease have increased.
What trends do you see in the three health categories from 1990 to 2019? Hypothesize why
these trends might have occurred - Answer During this time period, the percentage for
DALYs/100,000 for non-communicable diseases (blue)significantly increased, while the
DALYs/100,000 for communicable diseases (red) decreased. Injuries(green) remained third.
However, all three categories experienced a decrease in DALYs/100,000.
What year did non-communicable diseases surpass communicable diseases in DALY rankings? -
Answer In terms of DALYs/100,000 non-communicable diseases surpassed communicable
diseases in 1993.
What do you notice about I H D when you compare its death rates to its DALYs? How would you
explain these results? - Answer H D has a large death rate (16.7% of total deaths) but a
smaller proportion of the DALYs (7.19% of total DALYs). I H D is often characterized by an acute
life-threatening episode. As a result, it has a high proportion of deaths when compared to
proportion of Y L Ds, creating a smaller DALY score.
,What differences do you notice in death rates between high and low S D I countries? What are
some possible explanations for these differences? - Answer When comparing the rates
between high and low SDI countries, it appears that in the low SDI countries more deaths can
be attributed to communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis. Meanwhile, high SDI countries
have more deaths attributed to non-communicable diseases, such as breast cancer. The death
rates in low and high SDI countries that are attributed to injuries, appear comparable. Some of
the reasons for these differences in death rates are because of the life expectancy difference,
and the access to and quality of healthcare. Because life expectancy is longer in high SDI
countries, more deaths can be attributed to non-communicable disease like coronary artery
disease, which is impact by stress and other lifestyle factors. Meanwhile, in low SDI countries,
life expectancy is lower and the access to healthcare is more limited, leading to more death
being attributed to non -communicable diseases like tuberculosis, which can be more easily
treated in high SDI countries.
What are the big three communicable diseases? - Answer HIV, tuberculosis and malaria
Communicable diseases such as H I V, tuberculosis, and malaria, present a significant burden for
low -income countries (over ___ of total DALYs in some Low S D I countries) but less than ___ for
high-income countries. - Answer Communicable diseases such as H I V, tuberculosis, and
malaria, present a significant burden for low -income countries (over 50% of total DALYs in some
Low S D I countries) but less than 10% for high-income countries.
What is the impact of HIV in Canada? - Answer Globally, 38 million people are living with H I
V as of 2019, 19% of which are unaware of their status.Over 68,000 individuals are currently
living with H I V in Canada, 14% of whom are unaware of their H IV status
What is the impact of tuberculosis in Canada? - Answer In 2019, 10 million people
contracted T B worldwide. In Canada there were 1,796 cases of active tuberculosis reported.
Two populations - foreign-born individuals and Indigenous Peoples - accounted for the majority
of cases
What is the impact of malaria in Canada? - Answer In 2019, there were an estimated number
of 229 million cases of malaria worldwide. The Canadian infectious disease surveillance system
has reported an average of 538 malaria cases per year since 1990, and Statistics Canada
reported an average of one death per year.
What is the mechanism of action, transmission, treatment and prevention for HIV? - Answer
H I V is a disease that attacks the body's white blood cells and weakens the body's immune
system. By the end of 2019, there were 38 million people in the world living with H I V with only
67% of them having access to antiretroviral therapy. In 2019, 690 000 people lost their lives to H
I V, while 1.7 million new infections were diagnosed. To date, H I V has taken 33 million lives,
making it one of the major global public health issues.
H I V infects white blood cells called helper T cells destroying them over time and eventually
causing Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
, H I V is spread from person to person via bodily fluids (i.e. semen, vaginal fluids, blood, and, to a
lesser degree, breast milk).
H I V is typically treated using antiretroviral therapy (A R T), which can greatly prolong life and
suppress symptoms, but does not cure the disease.
Prevention strategies for H I V include:•
Single condom use
• Elimination of mother-to-child spread with A R T during pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Testing and counselling services
• Harm reduction for people who use drugs, including needle and syringe programs
THE H I V /AIDS EPIDEMIC AMONG INDIGENOUS CANADIANS - Answer Social and economic
factors have placed the Indigenous peoples in Canada at a higher risk of H IV/AIDS compared to
non-Indigenous Canadians. In 2017, Indigenous Peoples accounted for only 4.9%of Canada's
total population, yet made up 20.1% of total H I V cases.Socioeconomic factors that may
contribute to the increase the risk of H I V/AIDS in Indigenous People s include domestic
violence, stigma, discrimination, and injection drug use. Additionally, the mistrust and lack of
health services further perpetuates poor HIV and health outcomes within this population.
Among the total Indigenous population, Indigenous youth are at a greater risk of contracting H
IV/AIDs. Unfortunately, a lack of health education services and denial of this crisis has resulted
in a low -perceived risk of the virus in youth.Furthermore, substance use, particularly injection
drug use, is strongly associated with H I V infection among Indigenous youth in Canada.
Indigenous youth report a higher likelihood of sharing equipment and less access to risk
reduction programs such as methadone clinics or needle-exchange programs, putting this
population at 22 times more at risk of H I V than the general population.
What is ART? - Answer Antiretroviral Therapy (A R T): A treatment that consists of taking
multiple antiretroviral drugs simultaneously to inhibit the different stages of the virus's life
cycle.
What are some of the barriers to receiving methadone for Indigenous Canadians? - Answer
Barriers to receiving methadone treatments includes the lack of on -site methadone treatment
and the need to travel to off-site methadone programs. This would mean long distance
travelling and a lack of counselling and support for these Indigenous methadone patients. Not
only do Indigenous Peoples have lower access to risk reduction programs, many Indigenous
communities also have a stigma around treatment programs. In a 2016 study conducted with
members of the First Nations communities in New Brunswick, Canada, it was found that
abstinence-based therapy is the preferred treatment method. This is because many members of
the communities view methadone treatments as "replacing one drug with another". This stigma
developed due to the lack of health education services and access to information regarding
medication-assisted treatment in these communities. Those who have participated in the
methadone treatment programs have reported experiencing discriminatory behaviours from
others in the community.
Fortunately, there are programs and services being created with a holistic approach to H I V and
AIDS, other communicable diseases, and co-morbidity issues. One such service is the Canadian
with All Correct Verified Answers
2025/2026 Updated.
What does the global burden of disease (GBD) measure - Answer Global Burden of Disease
(G B D) is a measure of total health loss from hundreds of diseases and injuries (and their risk
factors) that provides insight into the health status of different populations throughout the
world. The Global Burden of Disease (G B D) Study tabulates all available information about the
causes of deaths and disability in the world and DALYs are used to report on the health status of
countries across the globe.
What diseases and illnesses fall under Group 1 by the GBD tool? - Answer Group 1 includes
communicable diseases, and maternal, neonatal, and nutritional conditions. Communicable,
maternal, neonatal, perinatal, and nutritional disorders (e.g. tuberculosis, H I V, malaria)
represent 2 out of every 10 deaths that occur globally. These conditions occur largely in low-
income populations due to inadequate access to healthcare, particularly preventative care.
Although the global rate of death is estimated at 20%, the rate is 50% in low socio-demographic
index(S D I) regions, and only 5% in high S D I regions.
What diseases and illnesses fall under Group 2 by the GBD tool? - Answer Non-
Communicable DiseasesNon-Communicable Diseases (N C Ds) (e.g. coronary artery disease,
cancer, mental illness) account for about 7 out of 10 deaths globally. This means that out o f the
three health categories, the majority of deaths are due to non-communicable diseases.Despite
accounting for roughly 70% of deaths globally, many of the lower S D I countries do not have a
rate this high. In 2019 N C Ds were responsible for 41% of deaths in low S D I regions, and 88%
in high SD I regions.
What diseases and illnesses fall under Group 3 by the GBD tool? - Answer Injuries (e.g. car
crashes, suicide, and war injuries) represent roughly 1 in 10 deaths that occur globally.This
category represents the largest difference between the sexes, with injuries accounting for 12%
of overall male deaths and 6% of female deaths in 2019
the largest difference between the sexes with respect to death rates occurs in the injury
category of G B D. In Canada, 10,957 men and 6,414 women died as a result of injury in 2015,
which follows the results of the G B D. Additionally, First Nations, Inuit, and Metis populations
are 3.5,3.2, and 2.7 times more likely to die, respectively, by injury than the general population
in Canada. When considering injury related deaths, why might the difference between sexes be
so vast?Why might Canadian Indigenous populations be more at risk of dying by injury? -
Answer Typically, men engage in more unsafe behaviour and employment than women, and
are less likely to be protected by someone else, whereas women might be protected by their
brother, father, etc.Indigenous populations may be less likely to seek or receive poor medical
treatment when injured as a result of stigma and historical oppression.
,What is Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY)? - Answer Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) is
a measure of overall disease burden, which is expressed as the cumulative number of years lost
due to ill-health, disability, or early death
What is Years Lived with Disability (YLD)? - Answer Y L D multiplies the number of years a
person has a condition that affects their quality of life. Each condition has a weighting factor
between 0 and 1, 0 being perfect health and 1 being death. The rating is indicative of the degree
to which a disease negatively impacts an individual's life.
What is Years of Life Lost (YLL)? - Answer A measure of how many years of expected life are
lost due to premature death
Y L L = (# of Deaths) x (Life Expectancy - Age of Death)
What is The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (I H M E)? - Answer They made the
GDP compare tool, an interactive tool to analyze global health trends from 1990 to present. This
tool enables you to see how patterns of disease changeover time and to compare disease
trends by country, age, and sex.An independent population health research center at U W
Medicine, part of the University of Washington, that provides rigorous and comparable
measurement of the world's most important health problems and evaluates the strategies used
to address them. I H M E makes this information freely available so that policymakers have the
evidence they need to make informed decisions about how to allocate resources to best
improve population health.
What has happened to DALYs of H I V, tuberculosis, and malaria depression and ischemic heart
disease from 2005-2019 - Answer DALYs of H I V, tuberculosis, and malaria have decreased,
while DALYs of depression and ischemicheart disease have increased.
What trends do you see in the three health categories from 1990 to 2019? Hypothesize why
these trends might have occurred - Answer During this time period, the percentage for
DALYs/100,000 for non-communicable diseases (blue)significantly increased, while the
DALYs/100,000 for communicable diseases (red) decreased. Injuries(green) remained third.
However, all three categories experienced a decrease in DALYs/100,000.
What year did non-communicable diseases surpass communicable diseases in DALY rankings? -
Answer In terms of DALYs/100,000 non-communicable diseases surpassed communicable
diseases in 1993.
What do you notice about I H D when you compare its death rates to its DALYs? How would you
explain these results? - Answer H D has a large death rate (16.7% of total deaths) but a
smaller proportion of the DALYs (7.19% of total DALYs). I H D is often characterized by an acute
life-threatening episode. As a result, it has a high proportion of deaths when compared to
proportion of Y L Ds, creating a smaller DALY score.
,What differences do you notice in death rates between high and low S D I countries? What are
some possible explanations for these differences? - Answer When comparing the rates
between high and low SDI countries, it appears that in the low SDI countries more deaths can
be attributed to communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis. Meanwhile, high SDI countries
have more deaths attributed to non-communicable diseases, such as breast cancer. The death
rates in low and high SDI countries that are attributed to injuries, appear comparable. Some of
the reasons for these differences in death rates are because of the life expectancy difference,
and the access to and quality of healthcare. Because life expectancy is longer in high SDI
countries, more deaths can be attributed to non-communicable disease like coronary artery
disease, which is impact by stress and other lifestyle factors. Meanwhile, in low SDI countries,
life expectancy is lower and the access to healthcare is more limited, leading to more death
being attributed to non -communicable diseases like tuberculosis, which can be more easily
treated in high SDI countries.
What are the big three communicable diseases? - Answer HIV, tuberculosis and malaria
Communicable diseases such as H I V, tuberculosis, and malaria, present a significant burden for
low -income countries (over ___ of total DALYs in some Low S D I countries) but less than ___ for
high-income countries. - Answer Communicable diseases such as H I V, tuberculosis, and
malaria, present a significant burden for low -income countries (over 50% of total DALYs in some
Low S D I countries) but less than 10% for high-income countries.
What is the impact of HIV in Canada? - Answer Globally, 38 million people are living with H I
V as of 2019, 19% of which are unaware of their status.Over 68,000 individuals are currently
living with H I V in Canada, 14% of whom are unaware of their H IV status
What is the impact of tuberculosis in Canada? - Answer In 2019, 10 million people
contracted T B worldwide. In Canada there were 1,796 cases of active tuberculosis reported.
Two populations - foreign-born individuals and Indigenous Peoples - accounted for the majority
of cases
What is the impact of malaria in Canada? - Answer In 2019, there were an estimated number
of 229 million cases of malaria worldwide. The Canadian infectious disease surveillance system
has reported an average of 538 malaria cases per year since 1990, and Statistics Canada
reported an average of one death per year.
What is the mechanism of action, transmission, treatment and prevention for HIV? - Answer
H I V is a disease that attacks the body's white blood cells and weakens the body's immune
system. By the end of 2019, there were 38 million people in the world living with H I V with only
67% of them having access to antiretroviral therapy. In 2019, 690 000 people lost their lives to H
I V, while 1.7 million new infections were diagnosed. To date, H I V has taken 33 million lives,
making it one of the major global public health issues.
H I V infects white blood cells called helper T cells destroying them over time and eventually
causing Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
, H I V is spread from person to person via bodily fluids (i.e. semen, vaginal fluids, blood, and, to a
lesser degree, breast milk).
H I V is typically treated using antiretroviral therapy (A R T), which can greatly prolong life and
suppress symptoms, but does not cure the disease.
Prevention strategies for H I V include:•
Single condom use
• Elimination of mother-to-child spread with A R T during pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Testing and counselling services
• Harm reduction for people who use drugs, including needle and syringe programs
THE H I V /AIDS EPIDEMIC AMONG INDIGENOUS CANADIANS - Answer Social and economic
factors have placed the Indigenous peoples in Canada at a higher risk of H IV/AIDS compared to
non-Indigenous Canadians. In 2017, Indigenous Peoples accounted for only 4.9%of Canada's
total population, yet made up 20.1% of total H I V cases.Socioeconomic factors that may
contribute to the increase the risk of H I V/AIDS in Indigenous People s include domestic
violence, stigma, discrimination, and injection drug use. Additionally, the mistrust and lack of
health services further perpetuates poor HIV and health outcomes within this population.
Among the total Indigenous population, Indigenous youth are at a greater risk of contracting H
IV/AIDs. Unfortunately, a lack of health education services and denial of this crisis has resulted
in a low -perceived risk of the virus in youth.Furthermore, substance use, particularly injection
drug use, is strongly associated with H I V infection among Indigenous youth in Canada.
Indigenous youth report a higher likelihood of sharing equipment and less access to risk
reduction programs such as methadone clinics or needle-exchange programs, putting this
population at 22 times more at risk of H I V than the general population.
What is ART? - Answer Antiretroviral Therapy (A R T): A treatment that consists of taking
multiple antiretroviral drugs simultaneously to inhibit the different stages of the virus's life
cycle.
What are some of the barriers to receiving methadone for Indigenous Canadians? - Answer
Barriers to receiving methadone treatments includes the lack of on -site methadone treatment
and the need to travel to off-site methadone programs. This would mean long distance
travelling and a lack of counselling and support for these Indigenous methadone patients. Not
only do Indigenous Peoples have lower access to risk reduction programs, many Indigenous
communities also have a stigma around treatment programs. In a 2016 study conducted with
members of the First Nations communities in New Brunswick, Canada, it was found that
abstinence-based therapy is the preferred treatment method. This is because many members of
the communities view methadone treatments as "replacing one drug with another". This stigma
developed due to the lack of health education services and access to information regarding
medication-assisted treatment in these communities. Those who have participated in the
methadone treatment programs have reported experiencing discriminatory behaviours from
others in the community.
Fortunately, there are programs and services being created with a holistic approach to H I V and
AIDS, other communicable diseases, and co-morbidity issues. One such service is the Canadian
