Population Health Exam 2 UPDATED ACTUAL
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Rate - CORRECT ANSWER -the primary measurement used to describe either the occurrence or the existence of a
specific state of health or illness
Risk - CORRECT ANSWER -probability or likelihood that a disease or illness will occur in a group of people who
presently do not have the problem.
Risk Factor - CORRECT ANSWER -characteristics of events that have been shown to increase the probability that
a specific disease or illness will develop
Epidemiology Triad - CORRECT ANSWER -Classic model based on the belief that health status is determined by
the interaction of the characteristics of all three: host, agent, and environment.
Host - CORRECT ANSWER -the client whose health status is the concern, whether it is a person, a family, a group
of high-risk people, or the community as a whole.
Agents - CORRECT ANSWER -element or force that under proper conditions can initiate or perpetuate a health
problem
5 groups of Agents - CORRECT ANSWER -1. Physical-heat or trauma
2. Chemical-pollutants, medications, and drugs
3. Nutritional- excess or absence of water, vitamins, fat, proteins, and carbs
4. Psychosocial- stress social isolation and social support
5. Biologic-bacteria, viruses, arthropods, toxins, and conditions that interfere w/ normal body functioning.
Environment - CORRECT ANSWER -refers to context w/in which the agent and host interact; 3 categories:
1. biological- plants, animals, & toxins they produce
2. physical- light, heat, air, atmospheric pressure, radiation, geological, and environmental structures
3. social- technology, educational opportunities, political systems, demographic characteristics, sociological factors,
economic and legal systems
Wheel of Causation - CORRECT ANSWER -epidemiologic model that de-emphasizes the agent as the sole cause
of disease while emphasizing the interplay of physical, biologic, and social environments
Web of Causation - CORRECT ANSWER -Epidemiologic model that strongly emphasizes the concept of
MULTIPLE CAUSATIONS while de-emphasizing the role of agents in explaining illness.
Chain of Infection - CORRECT ANSWER -Includes: portal of entry, host, agent, reservoir, portal of exit, and
means of transmission
Portal of entry and exit - CORRECT ANSWER -the way infectious diseases enter and exit the body. Portals
include skin, respiratory tract, alimentary tract, genital tract, conjunctiva and vertical transmission from parent to
offspring.
Incubation period - CORRECT ANSWER -the time between exposure to an infectious agent and the manifestation
of symptoms in the host.
Colonization - CORRECT ANSWER -no clinical signs of disease but an infectious agent is present.
Endemic - CORRECT ANSWER -disease, infection, or infectious agent occurs when it becomes prevalent within a
population or geographic area.
- A disease regularly occurring within an area or community (google definition)
Epidemic - CORRECT ANSWER -significant increase in the infection or infectious diseases beyond the expected
(endemic) level in a certain population and or/ geographical area. Can also occur when a new infectious agent emerges or
remerges
, Pandemic - CORRECT ANSWER -epidemic that spreads worldwide
Herd Immunity - CORRECT ANSWER -protection due to the immunity of most community members making
exposure unlikely
Passive Immunity - CORRECT ANSWER -Transfer of antibodies to the host either transplacental from the mother
to newborn or through transfusions of immunoglobulins, plasma proteins, and antitoxins.
Natural Immunity - CORRECT ANSWER -Natural defense mechanisms of the body to resist specific antigens or
toxins
Airborne Transmission - CORRECT ANSWER -occurs when microorganisms are carried in the AIR in small
particles, called droplet nuclei, at distances excessing a few feet.
ex). TB
Direct Contact - CORRECT ANSWER -occurs through skin-to-skin contact, kissing, and sexual intercourse.
Indirect Contact - CORRECT ANSWER -Involves contact of a susceptible host with a contaminated intermediate
inanimate object (vehicle)
Droplet Transmission - CORRECT ANSWER -Droplets are generated from the source person primarily during
coughing, sneezing, and talking, and are propelled a short distance (less than 3 ft) through the air and deposited on the
conjunctivae, nasal mucosa, or mouth of another person. Ex: Measles and influenza
Prevention of STDS - CORRECT ANSWER -- STDS are transmitted through direct contact
- Condoms prevent transmission only if infected area is covered
Microbiral Adaptation - CORRECT ANSWER -process by which organisms adjust and change to their
environment
Antigenic Shift - CORRECT ANSWER -occurs when there is a sudden change in the DNA and RNA resulting
from a new strain of microogranisms-people have little or no acquired immunity
3 Stages of Microbial Adaptation - CORRECT ANSWER -1. Epidemic
2. Endemic
3. Symbiosis (tolerance)
Epidemiologic triad - CORRECT ANSWER -host, agent, environment
Human Susceptibility to infection - CORRECT ANSWER -- For infections to occur, people must be susceptible to
an infection.
- If the host has not been exposed to the microbe in the past, there is no acquired immunity to the organism.
- Environmental stresses, poor nutrition, medication, or the presence of other illnesses can impair immunity.
- Herd immunity: if a substantial portion of people are not susceptible to the disease, few people who are susceptible are
likely to not be exposed and contract the illness.
West Nile Virus - CORRECT ANSWER -- Appeared in NYC in 1999 and by 2003, an epidemic occurred.
- Transmission involves animals- most common route of transmission is from the bite of an infected mosquito.
Tuberculosis - CORRECT ANSWER -- Person to person through air when a person speaks, coughs, sneezes, or
sings.
- Droplet nuclei can stay in the air for several hours depending on the environment.
- Usually occurs in the lungs but can attack any part of the body- spine, kidney, and brain.
- Top 10 causes of disease.
- number of reported cases increased 20% between 1985 and 1992
- Successful declines over the past 60 years
physical violence - CORRECT ANSWER -occurs when pain or harm results
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Rate - CORRECT ANSWER -the primary measurement used to describe either the occurrence or the existence of a
specific state of health or illness
Risk - CORRECT ANSWER -probability or likelihood that a disease or illness will occur in a group of people who
presently do not have the problem.
Risk Factor - CORRECT ANSWER -characteristics of events that have been shown to increase the probability that
a specific disease or illness will develop
Epidemiology Triad - CORRECT ANSWER -Classic model based on the belief that health status is determined by
the interaction of the characteristics of all three: host, agent, and environment.
Host - CORRECT ANSWER -the client whose health status is the concern, whether it is a person, a family, a group
of high-risk people, or the community as a whole.
Agents - CORRECT ANSWER -element or force that under proper conditions can initiate or perpetuate a health
problem
5 groups of Agents - CORRECT ANSWER -1. Physical-heat or trauma
2. Chemical-pollutants, medications, and drugs
3. Nutritional- excess or absence of water, vitamins, fat, proteins, and carbs
4. Psychosocial- stress social isolation and social support
5. Biologic-bacteria, viruses, arthropods, toxins, and conditions that interfere w/ normal body functioning.
Environment - CORRECT ANSWER -refers to context w/in which the agent and host interact; 3 categories:
1. biological- plants, animals, & toxins they produce
2. physical- light, heat, air, atmospheric pressure, radiation, geological, and environmental structures
3. social- technology, educational opportunities, political systems, demographic characteristics, sociological factors,
economic and legal systems
Wheel of Causation - CORRECT ANSWER -epidemiologic model that de-emphasizes the agent as the sole cause
of disease while emphasizing the interplay of physical, biologic, and social environments
Web of Causation - CORRECT ANSWER -Epidemiologic model that strongly emphasizes the concept of
MULTIPLE CAUSATIONS while de-emphasizing the role of agents in explaining illness.
Chain of Infection - CORRECT ANSWER -Includes: portal of entry, host, agent, reservoir, portal of exit, and
means of transmission
Portal of entry and exit - CORRECT ANSWER -the way infectious diseases enter and exit the body. Portals
include skin, respiratory tract, alimentary tract, genital tract, conjunctiva and vertical transmission from parent to
offspring.
Incubation period - CORRECT ANSWER -the time between exposure to an infectious agent and the manifestation
of symptoms in the host.
Colonization - CORRECT ANSWER -no clinical signs of disease but an infectious agent is present.
Endemic - CORRECT ANSWER -disease, infection, or infectious agent occurs when it becomes prevalent within a
population or geographic area.
- A disease regularly occurring within an area or community (google definition)
Epidemic - CORRECT ANSWER -significant increase in the infection or infectious diseases beyond the expected
(endemic) level in a certain population and or/ geographical area. Can also occur when a new infectious agent emerges or
remerges
, Pandemic - CORRECT ANSWER -epidemic that spreads worldwide
Herd Immunity - CORRECT ANSWER -protection due to the immunity of most community members making
exposure unlikely
Passive Immunity - CORRECT ANSWER -Transfer of antibodies to the host either transplacental from the mother
to newborn or through transfusions of immunoglobulins, plasma proteins, and antitoxins.
Natural Immunity - CORRECT ANSWER -Natural defense mechanisms of the body to resist specific antigens or
toxins
Airborne Transmission - CORRECT ANSWER -occurs when microorganisms are carried in the AIR in small
particles, called droplet nuclei, at distances excessing a few feet.
ex). TB
Direct Contact - CORRECT ANSWER -occurs through skin-to-skin contact, kissing, and sexual intercourse.
Indirect Contact - CORRECT ANSWER -Involves contact of a susceptible host with a contaminated intermediate
inanimate object (vehicle)
Droplet Transmission - CORRECT ANSWER -Droplets are generated from the source person primarily during
coughing, sneezing, and talking, and are propelled a short distance (less than 3 ft) through the air and deposited on the
conjunctivae, nasal mucosa, or mouth of another person. Ex: Measles and influenza
Prevention of STDS - CORRECT ANSWER -- STDS are transmitted through direct contact
- Condoms prevent transmission only if infected area is covered
Microbiral Adaptation - CORRECT ANSWER -process by which organisms adjust and change to their
environment
Antigenic Shift - CORRECT ANSWER -occurs when there is a sudden change in the DNA and RNA resulting
from a new strain of microogranisms-people have little or no acquired immunity
3 Stages of Microbial Adaptation - CORRECT ANSWER -1. Epidemic
2. Endemic
3. Symbiosis (tolerance)
Epidemiologic triad - CORRECT ANSWER -host, agent, environment
Human Susceptibility to infection - CORRECT ANSWER -- For infections to occur, people must be susceptible to
an infection.
- If the host has not been exposed to the microbe in the past, there is no acquired immunity to the organism.
- Environmental stresses, poor nutrition, medication, or the presence of other illnesses can impair immunity.
- Herd immunity: if a substantial portion of people are not susceptible to the disease, few people who are susceptible are
likely to not be exposed and contract the illness.
West Nile Virus - CORRECT ANSWER -- Appeared in NYC in 1999 and by 2003, an epidemic occurred.
- Transmission involves animals- most common route of transmission is from the bite of an infected mosquito.
Tuberculosis - CORRECT ANSWER -- Person to person through air when a person speaks, coughs, sneezes, or
sings.
- Droplet nuclei can stay in the air for several hours depending on the environment.
- Usually occurs in the lungs but can attack any part of the body- spine, kidney, and brain.
- Top 10 causes of disease.
- number of reported cases increased 20% between 1985 and 1992
- Successful declines over the past 60 years
physical violence - CORRECT ANSWER -occurs when pain or harm results
