APPLIED POPULATION HEALTH AND
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE
COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT 2026 TEST
BANK QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
●● A breast cancer screening program screened 8000 women and
discovered 35 women previously diagnosed with breast cancer and 20
women with no history of breast cancer diagnosed as a result of the
screening. The prevalence proportion would reflect:
current and past breast cancer events in this population of women.
newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in this population of women.
past breast cancer events in this population of women.
the population of women that had no evidence of breast cancer.
Answer: current and past breast cancer events in this population of
women.
The prevalence proportion is a measure of existing disease in a
population at a particular time (i.e., the number of existing cases divided
by the current population). A prevalence proportion is not an estimate of
the risk of developing disease, because it is a function of both the rate at
which new cases of the disease develop and how long those cases
remain in the population. In this example, the prevalence of breast
cancer in this population of women is a function of how many new cases
develop and how long women live after the diagnosis of breast cancer.
,●● Clinical medicine and epidemiology differ from each other in the
major aspect of:
practice focus.
health monitoring.
determinants of health and disease.
evaluation of interventions.
Answer: practice focus.
Epidemiology is the study of populations to monitor the health of the
population, understand the determinants of health and disease in
communities, and investigate and evaluate interventions to prevent
disease and maintain health. Epidemiology focuses on populations,
whereas clinical medicine focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of
disease in individuals. Epidemiology studies populations to determine
the causes of health and disease in communities and to investigate and
evaluate interventions that will prevent disease and maintain health.
Epidemiologic methods are used extensively to determine to what extent
the goals of Healthy People 2020 (US Department of Health and Human
Services, 2010) have been met and to monitor the progress of those
objectives not fully met at present.
●● Nurses in community health often use epidemiology because in the
community it is often difficult to control the environment. Which of the
following statements demonstrates an epidemiologic strategy for
monitoring disease trends?
,A nurse in community health conducts an education class for clients
newly diagnosed with diabetes.
A nurse in community health investigates a breakout of whooping cough
in a local middle school.
A nurse in community health organizes a health fair at the community
health center.
A nurse in community health participates on a county school board that
addresses student health issues.
Answer: A nurse in community health investigates a breakout of
whooping cough in a local middle school.
Nurses are a key part of the interdisciplinary team in community settings
and often use epidemiology to look at health and at disease causation
and how to both prevent and treat illness. Nurses use epidemiology in
the community to examine factors that affect the individual, family, and
population group because it is more difficult to control these factors in
the community than in the hospital. Community health nurses who
conduct education classes, organize health fairs, and address student
health issues are using prevention strategies.
●● A nurse in community health who teaches a client with asthma to
recognize and avoid exposure to asthma triggers and assists the family in
implementing specific protection strategies such as removing carpets
and avoiding pets is intervening at the level of:
assessment.
primary prevention.
secondary prevention.
, tertiary prevention.
Answer: secondary prevention.
Primary prevention refers to interventions that promote health and
prevent the occurrence of disease, injury, or disability. Interventions at
this level are aimed at individuals and groups who are susceptible to
disease but have no discernable pathology (state of prepathogenesis). In
this case, the client has already has asthma, so the nurse teaches the
client to recognize and avoid exposure to asthma triggers. This is an
example of secondary prevention. Health screenings are at the core of
secondary prevention. Tertiary prevention includes interventions aimed
at limiting disability and interventions that enhance rehabilitation from
disease, injury, or disability. Assessment is a component of
epidemiology.
●● One of the basic concepts in epidemiology is the concept of risk.
Risk refers to the:
prevalence of an event occurring.
probability that an event will occur within a specified time period.
population most likely to develop a disease.
rate of development of new cases.
Answer: probability that an event will occur within a specified time
period.
Risk refers to the probability that an event will occur within a specified
time period. A population at risk is the population of persons for whom
there is some finite probability (even if small) of that event occurring.
Incidence rates and proportions measure the rate of new case
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE
COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT 2026 TEST
BANK QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
●● A breast cancer screening program screened 8000 women and
discovered 35 women previously diagnosed with breast cancer and 20
women with no history of breast cancer diagnosed as a result of the
screening. The prevalence proportion would reflect:
current and past breast cancer events in this population of women.
newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in this population of women.
past breast cancer events in this population of women.
the population of women that had no evidence of breast cancer.
Answer: current and past breast cancer events in this population of
women.
The prevalence proportion is a measure of existing disease in a
population at a particular time (i.e., the number of existing cases divided
by the current population). A prevalence proportion is not an estimate of
the risk of developing disease, because it is a function of both the rate at
which new cases of the disease develop and how long those cases
remain in the population. In this example, the prevalence of breast
cancer in this population of women is a function of how many new cases
develop and how long women live after the diagnosis of breast cancer.
,●● Clinical medicine and epidemiology differ from each other in the
major aspect of:
practice focus.
health monitoring.
determinants of health and disease.
evaluation of interventions.
Answer: practice focus.
Epidemiology is the study of populations to monitor the health of the
population, understand the determinants of health and disease in
communities, and investigate and evaluate interventions to prevent
disease and maintain health. Epidemiology focuses on populations,
whereas clinical medicine focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of
disease in individuals. Epidemiology studies populations to determine
the causes of health and disease in communities and to investigate and
evaluate interventions that will prevent disease and maintain health.
Epidemiologic methods are used extensively to determine to what extent
the goals of Healthy People 2020 (US Department of Health and Human
Services, 2010) have been met and to monitor the progress of those
objectives not fully met at present.
●● Nurses in community health often use epidemiology because in the
community it is often difficult to control the environment. Which of the
following statements demonstrates an epidemiologic strategy for
monitoring disease trends?
,A nurse in community health conducts an education class for clients
newly diagnosed with diabetes.
A nurse in community health investigates a breakout of whooping cough
in a local middle school.
A nurse in community health organizes a health fair at the community
health center.
A nurse in community health participates on a county school board that
addresses student health issues.
Answer: A nurse in community health investigates a breakout of
whooping cough in a local middle school.
Nurses are a key part of the interdisciplinary team in community settings
and often use epidemiology to look at health and at disease causation
and how to both prevent and treat illness. Nurses use epidemiology in
the community to examine factors that affect the individual, family, and
population group because it is more difficult to control these factors in
the community than in the hospital. Community health nurses who
conduct education classes, organize health fairs, and address student
health issues are using prevention strategies.
●● A nurse in community health who teaches a client with asthma to
recognize and avoid exposure to asthma triggers and assists the family in
implementing specific protection strategies such as removing carpets
and avoiding pets is intervening at the level of:
assessment.
primary prevention.
secondary prevention.
, tertiary prevention.
Answer: secondary prevention.
Primary prevention refers to interventions that promote health and
prevent the occurrence of disease, injury, or disability. Interventions at
this level are aimed at individuals and groups who are susceptible to
disease but have no discernable pathology (state of prepathogenesis). In
this case, the client has already has asthma, so the nurse teaches the
client to recognize and avoid exposure to asthma triggers. This is an
example of secondary prevention. Health screenings are at the core of
secondary prevention. Tertiary prevention includes interventions aimed
at limiting disability and interventions that enhance rehabilitation from
disease, injury, or disability. Assessment is a component of
epidemiology.
●● One of the basic concepts in epidemiology is the concept of risk.
Risk refers to the:
prevalence of an event occurring.
probability that an event will occur within a specified time period.
population most likely to develop a disease.
rate of development of new cases.
Answer: probability that an event will occur within a specified time
period.
Risk refers to the probability that an event will occur within a specified
time period. A population at risk is the population of persons for whom
there is some finite probability (even if small) of that event occurring.
Incidence rates and proportions measure the rate of new case
