Page 1 of 49
ATI RN COMMUNITY HEALTH EXAM 2026
NGN-STYLE COMPLETE (110) CURRENT
TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
COMMUNITY HEALTH
Prepare for the ATI RN Community Health Exam | NGN-Style with practice
questions covering population health, epidemiology, community
assessment, health promotion, disease prevention, environmental
health, disaster preparedness, and evidence-based public health
interventions. Designed to improve clinical judgment skills and boost
confidence in planning and delivering care for individuals, families, and
communities. Suitable for RN nursing students preparing for ATI
Community Health assessments and NGN-based nursing exams.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Section 1: Epidemiology & Disease Prevention (Questions 1–15)
1. A community health nurse is calculating the incidence rate of a
new respiratory illness. There were 50 new cases in a
population of 10,000 people over one year. What is the
incidence rate per 1,000 population?
A. 2 per 1,000
B. 5 per 1,000
C. 10 per 1,000
D. 50 per 1,000
Correct answer: B. 5 per 1,000
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Rationale: Incidence = (new cases / population) × 1,000 =
(,000) × 1,000 = 5 per 1,000. Prevalence includes
existing cases.
2. A screening test for diabetes has a high false-positive rate.
Which measure is adversely affected?
A. Sensitivity
B. Specificity
C. Positive predictive value
D. Negative predictive value
Correct answer: C. Positive predictive value
Rationale: False positives reduce positive predictive value
(proportion of positive tests that are truly positive).
Sensitivity is affected by false negatives; specificity by false
positives, but PPV is more directly impacted by false
positives in low prevalence populations.
3. A nurse is conducting a community health assessment. Which
data source is considered secondary data?
A. Windshield survey
B. Key informant interviews
C. Census bureau mortality statistics
D. Focus group transcripts
Correct answer: C. Census bureau mortality statistics
Rationale: Secondary data are already collected by others
(e.g., census, vital records, hospital discharge data).
Primary data are collected by the nurse (surveys,
interviews, observation).
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4. A nurse is using the epidemiological triangle to understand a
disease outbreak. Which component represents the host?
A. Bacteria in contaminated food
B. A crowded apartment building
C. An elderly man with malnutrition
D. Summer heat
Correct answer: C. An elderly man with malnutrition
Rationale: Host is the person susceptible to disease (age,
immunity, nutrition). Agent is the microorganism (bacteria).
Environment includes housing, season, temperature.
5. In 2022, a community had 200 existing cases of asthma.
During the year, 30 new cases were diagnosed. At the end of
the year, total cases were 210. What is the prevalence at the
end of the year?
A. 30
B. 200
C. 210
D. 230
Correct answer: C. 210
Rationale: Prevalence = all existing cases at a point in time
(new + pre-existing). Incidence = new cases only. 200 + 30 –
20 recovered? Actually total at end = 210 given. So
prevalence = 210.
6. A nurse is planning a primary prevention program for
cardiovascular disease. Which intervention is most
appropriate?
A. Screening for hypertension
B. Teaching healthy eating and exercise to elementary school
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children
C. Case management for clients after a myocardial infarction
D. Cardiac rehabilitation for post-bypass patients
Correct answer: B. Teaching healthy eating and exercise to
elementary school children
Rationale: Primary prevention prevents disease before it
occurs. Screening is secondary prevention. Rehabilitation
and case management are tertiary prevention.
7. A community has a high infant mortality rate. Which factor
should the nurse investigate first?
A. Access to prenatal care
B. Number of pediatricians
C. Air pollution levels
D. School lunch programs
Correct answer: A. Access to prenatal care
Rationale: Lack of prenatal care is strongly associated with
low birth weight and infant mortality. It is a modifiable
factor that should be assessed first.
8. A nurse is using the concept of “herd immunity” to plan a
vaccination campaign. Herd immunity is most effective when:
A. The vaccine is only 50% effective
B. A high percentage of the population is vaccinated
C. The disease is spread by water
D. The population is immunocompromised
Correct answer: B. A high percentage of the population is
vaccinated
Rationale: Herd immunity requires a high vaccination
coverage (typically >90-95% for highly contagious diseases)
ATI RN COMMUNITY HEALTH EXAM 2026
NGN-STYLE COMPLETE (110) CURRENT
TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
COMMUNITY HEALTH
Prepare for the ATI RN Community Health Exam | NGN-Style with practice
questions covering population health, epidemiology, community
assessment, health promotion, disease prevention, environmental
health, disaster preparedness, and evidence-based public health
interventions. Designed to improve clinical judgment skills and boost
confidence in planning and delivering care for individuals, families, and
communities. Suitable for RN nursing students preparing for ATI
Community Health assessments and NGN-based nursing exams.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Section 1: Epidemiology & Disease Prevention (Questions 1–15)
1. A community health nurse is calculating the incidence rate of a
new respiratory illness. There were 50 new cases in a
population of 10,000 people over one year. What is the
incidence rate per 1,000 population?
A. 2 per 1,000
B. 5 per 1,000
C. 10 per 1,000
D. 50 per 1,000
Correct answer: B. 5 per 1,000
, Page 2 of 49
Rationale: Incidence = (new cases / population) × 1,000 =
(,000) × 1,000 = 5 per 1,000. Prevalence includes
existing cases.
2. A screening test for diabetes has a high false-positive rate.
Which measure is adversely affected?
A. Sensitivity
B. Specificity
C. Positive predictive value
D. Negative predictive value
Correct answer: C. Positive predictive value
Rationale: False positives reduce positive predictive value
(proportion of positive tests that are truly positive).
Sensitivity is affected by false negatives; specificity by false
positives, but PPV is more directly impacted by false
positives in low prevalence populations.
3. A nurse is conducting a community health assessment. Which
data source is considered secondary data?
A. Windshield survey
B. Key informant interviews
C. Census bureau mortality statistics
D. Focus group transcripts
Correct answer: C. Census bureau mortality statistics
Rationale: Secondary data are already collected by others
(e.g., census, vital records, hospital discharge data).
Primary data are collected by the nurse (surveys,
interviews, observation).
, Page 3 of 49
4. A nurse is using the epidemiological triangle to understand a
disease outbreak. Which component represents the host?
A. Bacteria in contaminated food
B. A crowded apartment building
C. An elderly man with malnutrition
D. Summer heat
Correct answer: C. An elderly man with malnutrition
Rationale: Host is the person susceptible to disease (age,
immunity, nutrition). Agent is the microorganism (bacteria).
Environment includes housing, season, temperature.
5. In 2022, a community had 200 existing cases of asthma.
During the year, 30 new cases were diagnosed. At the end of
the year, total cases were 210. What is the prevalence at the
end of the year?
A. 30
B. 200
C. 210
D. 230
Correct answer: C. 210
Rationale: Prevalence = all existing cases at a point in time
(new + pre-existing). Incidence = new cases only. 200 + 30 –
20 recovered? Actually total at end = 210 given. So
prevalence = 210.
6. A nurse is planning a primary prevention program for
cardiovascular disease. Which intervention is most
appropriate?
A. Screening for hypertension
B. Teaching healthy eating and exercise to elementary school
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children
C. Case management for clients after a myocardial infarction
D. Cardiac rehabilitation for post-bypass patients
Correct answer: B. Teaching healthy eating and exercise to
elementary school children
Rationale: Primary prevention prevents disease before it
occurs. Screening is secondary prevention. Rehabilitation
and case management are tertiary prevention.
7. A community has a high infant mortality rate. Which factor
should the nurse investigate first?
A. Access to prenatal care
B. Number of pediatricians
C. Air pollution levels
D. School lunch programs
Correct answer: A. Access to prenatal care
Rationale: Lack of prenatal care is strongly associated with
low birth weight and infant mortality. It is a modifiable
factor that should be assessed first.
8. A nurse is using the concept of “herd immunity” to plan a
vaccination campaign. Herd immunity is most effective when:
A. The vaccine is only 50% effective
B. A high percentage of the population is vaccinated
C. The disease is spread by water
D. The population is immunocompromised
Correct answer: B. A high percentage of the population is
vaccinated
Rationale: Herd immunity requires a high vaccination
coverage (typically >90-95% for highly contagious diseases)
