Chapter 1: Public Health & Nursing
Practice
1. According to the American Journal of Public Health, what were the leading causes of
death in 1875?
SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.
1) Infant diarrhea 2) Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) 3) Influenza 4) Heart disease 5) AIDS
- ANS-Feedback 1: Answer 1 is correct. Infant diarrhea was a leading cause of death in
1875.
Feedback 2: Answer 2 is correct: Pulmonary TB was a leading cause of death in 1875.
Feedback 3: Answer 3 is correct: Acute respiratory diseases (such as influenza) were a
leading cause of death in 1875.
Feedback 4: Answer 4 is incorrect. Heart disease is the leading cause of death today,
but it was not in 1875.
Feedback 5: Answer 5 is incorrect. AIDS is not known to have existed in 1875.
2.Which organization is known as the public health arm of the United Nations (U.N.)?
1) United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) 2) American Medical Association (AMA) 3)
World Health Organization (WHO) 4) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) -
ANS-The World Health Organization (WHO) is the public health arm of the U.N.
3.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was established after World
War II to help control what disease?
1) Typhoid fever 2) Malaria 3) AIDS 4) Influenza - ANS-The CDC was established in
1946 after World War II to help control malaria.
4.Place the following events in chronological order (1-4):
The Social Security Act is passed into law.
The CDC is established.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is established.
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans. - ANS-The Social Security Act was passed
in 1935, making this event first chronologically. Next was the establishment of the CDC
, in 1946. Two years later, in 1948, the World Health Organization was established.
Finally, Hurricane Katrina occurred in 2005.
5.Federal law mandates that all local public health departments provide specific
activities to protect the health of its citizens. Which of the following is not a federally
mandated activity?
1) Reporting of specific diseases 2) Outbreak investigation 3) Quarantine 4) Public
sanitation - ANS-Local health departments oversee public sanitation, but it is not a
federally mandated activity.
6.Which nurse is responsible for the earliest developments of public health nursing?
1) Jean Watson 2) Hildegard Peplau 3) Florence Nightingale 4) Lavinia Dock -
ANS-Florence Nightingale is lesser known for her work as a sanitarian, social reformer,
and a promoter of health reform. She was responsible for the earliest developments of
public health nursing.
7.Which of the following is a true statement regarding aging populations and public
health?
1) The majority of elderly people live in nursing homes. 2) Aging populations tend to see
an increase in noncommunicable (chronic) illnesses. 3) Aging populations tend to see a
decrease in noncommunicable (chronic) illnesses. 4) Aging populations are not a
challenge when dealing with public health. - ANS-Aging populations see an increase in
chronic illnesses.
8.What term refers to the science of diseases in man?
1) Podiatry 2) Endocrinology 3) Epidemiology 4) Orthopedics - ANS-Epidemiology
refers to the science of diseases in man.
9.A public health nurse (PHN) is going over data on community health in a local
neighborhood. She notices high rates of poverty and obesity and a prevalence of fast
food restaurants. Conditions in the social environment that can create poor health are
referred to by what term?
1) Upstream 2) Downstream 3) Midstream 4) Environmental justice - ANS-Upstream
refers to determinants of health that are somewhat removed from the downstream
biological and behavioral basis for disease.
10.A PHN will present a seminar on birth control methods for young adults in their
community. What is the first thing the PHN should do to prepare for the lecture?
1) Buy condoms to distribute to the class. 2) Teach abstinence only because this is in
line with the PHN's personal beliefs. 3) Assess the cultural beliefs of young adults in the
Practice
1. According to the American Journal of Public Health, what were the leading causes of
death in 1875?
SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.
1) Infant diarrhea 2) Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) 3) Influenza 4) Heart disease 5) AIDS
- ANS-Feedback 1: Answer 1 is correct. Infant diarrhea was a leading cause of death in
1875.
Feedback 2: Answer 2 is correct: Pulmonary TB was a leading cause of death in 1875.
Feedback 3: Answer 3 is correct: Acute respiratory diseases (such as influenza) were a
leading cause of death in 1875.
Feedback 4: Answer 4 is incorrect. Heart disease is the leading cause of death today,
but it was not in 1875.
Feedback 5: Answer 5 is incorrect. AIDS is not known to have existed in 1875.
2.Which organization is known as the public health arm of the United Nations (U.N.)?
1) United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) 2) American Medical Association (AMA) 3)
World Health Organization (WHO) 4) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) -
ANS-The World Health Organization (WHO) is the public health arm of the U.N.
3.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was established after World
War II to help control what disease?
1) Typhoid fever 2) Malaria 3) AIDS 4) Influenza - ANS-The CDC was established in
1946 after World War II to help control malaria.
4.Place the following events in chronological order (1-4):
The Social Security Act is passed into law.
The CDC is established.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is established.
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans. - ANS-The Social Security Act was passed
in 1935, making this event first chronologically. Next was the establishment of the CDC
, in 1946. Two years later, in 1948, the World Health Organization was established.
Finally, Hurricane Katrina occurred in 2005.
5.Federal law mandates that all local public health departments provide specific
activities to protect the health of its citizens. Which of the following is not a federally
mandated activity?
1) Reporting of specific diseases 2) Outbreak investigation 3) Quarantine 4) Public
sanitation - ANS-Local health departments oversee public sanitation, but it is not a
federally mandated activity.
6.Which nurse is responsible for the earliest developments of public health nursing?
1) Jean Watson 2) Hildegard Peplau 3) Florence Nightingale 4) Lavinia Dock -
ANS-Florence Nightingale is lesser known for her work as a sanitarian, social reformer,
and a promoter of health reform. She was responsible for the earliest developments of
public health nursing.
7.Which of the following is a true statement regarding aging populations and public
health?
1) The majority of elderly people live in nursing homes. 2) Aging populations tend to see
an increase in noncommunicable (chronic) illnesses. 3) Aging populations tend to see a
decrease in noncommunicable (chronic) illnesses. 4) Aging populations are not a
challenge when dealing with public health. - ANS-Aging populations see an increase in
chronic illnesses.
8.What term refers to the science of diseases in man?
1) Podiatry 2) Endocrinology 3) Epidemiology 4) Orthopedics - ANS-Epidemiology
refers to the science of diseases in man.
9.A public health nurse (PHN) is going over data on community health in a local
neighborhood. She notices high rates of poverty and obesity and a prevalence of fast
food restaurants. Conditions in the social environment that can create poor health are
referred to by what term?
1) Upstream 2) Downstream 3) Midstream 4) Environmental justice - ANS-Upstream
refers to determinants of health that are somewhat removed from the downstream
biological and behavioral basis for disease.
10.A PHN will present a seminar on birth control methods for young adults in their
community. What is the first thing the PHN should do to prepare for the lecture?
1) Buy condoms to distribute to the class. 2) Teach abstinence only because this is in
line with the PHN's personal beliefs. 3) Assess the cultural beliefs of young adults in the
