NURS 441 FINAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the epidemiological triangle? - answer- Agent, host, environment
What are examples of the agent? - answer- physical (noise, temperature), chemical
(drug, toxin), infectious (virus, bacteria)
What is the host? - answer- the living being that an agent or the environment
influences
What is the environment? - answer- is the setting or surrounding that sustains the
host
What is epidemiology? - answer- It is an interdisciplinary study. provides structure for
studying health, disease, and conditions related to health status. Statistical concepts
and methods (simple to complex) are the foundation for ascertaining and analyzing
data. Studying the etiology and distribution of diseases and conditions in humans
allows nursing and medical science to employ concepts that guide clinical practice
and influence health outcomes.
What are three crucial epidemiology concepts? - answer- the natural history of
disease, the levels of prevention, and the multiple causation of disease
What is the natural history of disease? - answer- prepathogenesis and pathogenesis
What are the levels of prevention? - answer- primary, secondary, and tertiary
What is causation of disease? - answer- interactions of the epidemiologic triangle
analyzed with statistical measures to determine whether there is a direct or indirect
relationship between any stimuli and health status.
What is epidemiologic data used to determine? - answer- morbidity and mortality
Define incidence - answer- number of new cases in the population at a specific time.
Define prevalence - answer- number of existing cases in the population at a specific
time.
Define epidemic - answer- occurs when the rate of the disease exceeds the usual
level
Define endemic - answer- moderate, ongoing occurrence of a disease or condition
Define pandemic - answer- condition occurs when an epidemic occurs in multiple
countries or continents
, What is the role of the community health nurse in epidemiology? - answer- Identify
cases and recognize patterns of disease; eliminate barriers of disease control; and
provide
education and counseling targeted at a disease.
What are the elements of communicable disease and their interaction? - answer-
There are five interdependent elements of communicable diseases: (1) agent, (2)
transmission, (3) host, (4) environment, and (5) conditions conducive for their
interaction. Agents vary in potency and in the necessary invasive number, depending
on hosts' different sensitivities to the power of the organism.
Reportable disease list - answer- Reporting communicable disease is mandated by
state and local regulations. Know the one for your state. Red=report immediate
(ASAP to virginia department of health), blue= report w/in 3 days.
How do boards of health demonstrate responsibilities for controlling the spread of
communicable diseases? - answer- Local boards of health are charged with
maintaining the health of the community. Local boards carry out the legislative
mandates of both the state and federal governments. The costs for carrying out the
mandates are usually shared by all three levels of government. The major purposes
of boards of health are to provide oversight of the environment by regulating water,
food, and sewage control; to track and report communicable diseases to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); to provide oversight and
recommendations for immunizations and vaccines; and to act as a conduit for health-
related concerns for international travelers.
Why are the concepts of epidemiology appropriate for use in preventing and
controlling communicable diseases? - answer- Epidemiology began as the study of
communicable diseases affecting large populations. Epidemiological principles are
still the backbone of control of communicable disease. Prevention of communicable
diseases begins with knowledge about the links in the chain of infection. The
relationships and interactions among the infectious agent, the host, and the
environment are important. Control of communicable disease depends on
discovering the weak link in the triangle and developing measures that attack and
reduce or eliminate that threat. Control efforts include prevention activities, as well as
measures to reduce the seriousness of an illness as measured by severity, the
length of time ill, the cost of treatment, the short- and long-term effects, and the risk
of death.
What are the leading causes of communicable disease deaths? - answer- acute
respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrheal diseases, TB, malaria, and measles.
What is environmental health? - answer- the state of health resulting from the forces
and conditions surrounding and influencing human beings
Surveillence is - answer- collect and analyze data. finding out the who, what, when,
where, why of a disease
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the epidemiological triangle? - answer- Agent, host, environment
What are examples of the agent? - answer- physical (noise, temperature), chemical
(drug, toxin), infectious (virus, bacteria)
What is the host? - answer- the living being that an agent or the environment
influences
What is the environment? - answer- is the setting or surrounding that sustains the
host
What is epidemiology? - answer- It is an interdisciplinary study. provides structure for
studying health, disease, and conditions related to health status. Statistical concepts
and methods (simple to complex) are the foundation for ascertaining and analyzing
data. Studying the etiology and distribution of diseases and conditions in humans
allows nursing and medical science to employ concepts that guide clinical practice
and influence health outcomes.
What are three crucial epidemiology concepts? - answer- the natural history of
disease, the levels of prevention, and the multiple causation of disease
What is the natural history of disease? - answer- prepathogenesis and pathogenesis
What are the levels of prevention? - answer- primary, secondary, and tertiary
What is causation of disease? - answer- interactions of the epidemiologic triangle
analyzed with statistical measures to determine whether there is a direct or indirect
relationship between any stimuli and health status.
What is epidemiologic data used to determine? - answer- morbidity and mortality
Define incidence - answer- number of new cases in the population at a specific time.
Define prevalence - answer- number of existing cases in the population at a specific
time.
Define epidemic - answer- occurs when the rate of the disease exceeds the usual
level
Define endemic - answer- moderate, ongoing occurrence of a disease or condition
Define pandemic - answer- condition occurs when an epidemic occurs in multiple
countries or continents
, What is the role of the community health nurse in epidemiology? - answer- Identify
cases and recognize patterns of disease; eliminate barriers of disease control; and
provide
education and counseling targeted at a disease.
What are the elements of communicable disease and their interaction? - answer-
There are five interdependent elements of communicable diseases: (1) agent, (2)
transmission, (3) host, (4) environment, and (5) conditions conducive for their
interaction. Agents vary in potency and in the necessary invasive number, depending
on hosts' different sensitivities to the power of the organism.
Reportable disease list - answer- Reporting communicable disease is mandated by
state and local regulations. Know the one for your state. Red=report immediate
(ASAP to virginia department of health), blue= report w/in 3 days.
How do boards of health demonstrate responsibilities for controlling the spread of
communicable diseases? - answer- Local boards of health are charged with
maintaining the health of the community. Local boards carry out the legislative
mandates of both the state and federal governments. The costs for carrying out the
mandates are usually shared by all three levels of government. The major purposes
of boards of health are to provide oversight of the environment by regulating water,
food, and sewage control; to track and report communicable diseases to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); to provide oversight and
recommendations for immunizations and vaccines; and to act as a conduit for health-
related concerns for international travelers.
Why are the concepts of epidemiology appropriate for use in preventing and
controlling communicable diseases? - answer- Epidemiology began as the study of
communicable diseases affecting large populations. Epidemiological principles are
still the backbone of control of communicable disease. Prevention of communicable
diseases begins with knowledge about the links in the chain of infection. The
relationships and interactions among the infectious agent, the host, and the
environment are important. Control of communicable disease depends on
discovering the weak link in the triangle and developing measures that attack and
reduce or eliminate that threat. Control efforts include prevention activities, as well as
measures to reduce the seriousness of an illness as measured by severity, the
length of time ill, the cost of treatment, the short- and long-term effects, and the risk
of death.
What are the leading causes of communicable disease deaths? - answer- acute
respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrheal diseases, TB, malaria, and measles.
What is environmental health? - answer- the state of health resulting from the forces
and conditions surrounding and influencing human beings
Surveillence is - answer- collect and analyze data. finding out the who, what, when,
where, why of a disease
