Chapter 1 Review Questions KEY

�1.1 (Epidemiology, Public Health, & Health)

  1. epi = upon; demos = the people; ology = to speak of (to study)

  2. Definitions vary but each definition seems to include reference to  "the study of," "disease and health-related conditions," and "populations and groups." 

  3. excess

  4. There are, of course, many differences between epidemiology and clinical medicine. One defining differences is the primary unit of concern. The primary unit of concern in epidemiology is the group, while the primary unit of concern in clinical medicine is the individual. 
    With respect to differences between epidemiology and public health, "epidemiology is primarily a study of, while public health is primarily a mission that is implemented through social action" (Savitz et al., 1999).

  5. Disease = a physiological or mental dysfunction; Illness = the perception of the disease by the patient; Sickness = the social dysfunction that results from the disease. (For the sake of uniformity of language, most of Epidemiology Kept Simple uses the term "disease" to refer to any health-related event or outcome.)

  6. (1) physical, (2) mental (3) social 

  7. See text 

�1.2 (Uses of Epidemiology)

  1. True.

  2. Morris's seven uses: 1) historical study; 2) community diagnosis; 3) workings of health services; 4) individual chances; 5) complete the clinical picture; 6) identify syndromes; 7) search for causes

  3. True. See http://ije.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/full/30/5/1146 for commentary. 

  4. Community diagnosis aims to determine the incidence and prevalence of health related conditions in various populations.

  5. search for causes 

 

�1.3 (Epidemiologic Transition)

  1. Demographic transition: increased longevity, decreased fertility, aging of the population.

  2. Epidemiology transition: decreases in acute and contagious diseases; increases in chronic and "life style" diseases.

  3. Cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease; pneumonia and influenza

  4. The population pyramid has become more square (less of a pyramid), with a larger percentage of the population shifting toward older age groups.

  5. tobacco use, alcohol use, diet, high blood pressure, certain sexual practices

  6. False

  7. False

  8. cardiovascular disease; neoplastic disease; external cause/injury;  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; HIV (Comment: By some accounts, COPD has recently overtaken external cause for the number three position.)

  9. True

  10. True

  11. True

  12. White female, Af Am female, White male, Af Am male 

�1.4 History

  1. The 19th century; the Epidemiological Society of London was established in 1850.

  2. Hippocrates (400 BCE)

  3. Measuring, sequencing, classifying, grouping, confirming, observing, formulating, questioning, identifying, generalizing, experimenting, testing, etc.

  4. The cohort study compared cholera rates in exposed and nonexposed households. The case-control study compared characteristics of cholera cases and noncases.

  5. The ecological study compared cholera mortality in regions. The cohort study compared rates in exposed and nonexposed individuals and households.

  6. Matching:     A = Syndenham        B = Pott        C = Graunt        D = Fracastoro        E = Salmon        F = Pinel        G = Louis        H = Farr        I = Snow