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Epidemiology Quiz

Deleted user 169 questions Updated 22 May 2018

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1In the definition of epidemiology, "distribution" refers to EXCEPT:
1. AWho
2. BWhen
3. CWhere
4. DWhy
2In the definition of epidemiology, "determinants" generally includes EXCEPT:
1. AAgents
2. BCauses
3. CControl measures
4. DRisk factors
5. ESources
3Epidemiology, as defined in this lesson, would NOT include which of the following activities?
1. ADescribing the demographic characteristics of persons with acute aflatoxin poisoning in District A
2. BPrescribing an antibiotic to treat a patient with community-acquired methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus infection
3. CComparing the family history, amount of exercise, and eating habits of those with and without newly diagnosed diabetes
4. DRecommending that a restaurant be closed after implicating it as the source of a hepatitis A outbreak
4John Snow's investigation of cholera is considered a model for epidemiologic field investigations because it includes the following EXCEPT:
1. ABiologically plausible hypothesis
2. BComparison of a health outcome among exposed and unexposed groups
3. CMultivariate statistical model
4. DSpot map
5. ERecommendation for public health action
5Public health surveillance includes which of the following activities:
1. ADiagnosing whether a case of encephalitis is actually due to West Nile virus infection
2. BSoliciting case reports of persons with symptoms compatible with SARs from local hospitals
3. CCreating graphs of the number of dog bites by week and neighborhood
4. DWriting a report on trends in seat belt use to share with the state legislature
5. EDisseminating educational materials about ways people can reduce their risk of Lyme disease
6. FB, C, D
7. GAll of the above
6The hallmark feature of an analytic epidemiologic study is:
1. AUse of an appropriate comparison group
2. BLaboratory confirmation of the diagnosis
3. CPublication in a peer-reviewed journal
4. DStatistical analysis using logistic regression
7A number of passengers on a cruise ship from Puerto Rico to the Panama Canal have recently developed a gastrointestinal illness compatible with norovirus (formerly called Norwalk-like virus). Testing for norovirus is not readily available in any nearby island, and the test takes several days even where available. Assuming you are the epidemiologist called on to board the ship and investigate this possible outbreak, your case definition should include, at a minimum:
1. AClinical criteria, plus specification of time, place, and person
2. BClinical features, plus the exposure(s) you most suspect
3. CSuspect cases
4. DThe nationally agreed standard case definition for disease reporting
8Compare food histories between persons with Staphylococcus food poisoning and those without
1. ADistribution
2. BDeterminants
3. CApplication
9Compare frequency of brain cancer among anatomists with frequency in general population
1. ADistribution
2. BDeterminants
3. CApplication
10Mark on a map the residences of all children born with birth defects within 2 miles of a hazardous waste site
1. ADistribution
2. BDeterminants
3. CApplication

11Graph the number of cases of congenital syphilis by year for the country
1. ADistribution
2. BDeterminants
3. CApplication
12Recommend that close contacts of a child recently reported with meningococcal meningitis receive Rifampin
1. ADistribution
2. BDeterminants
3. CApplication
13Tabulate the frequency of clinical signs, symptoms, and laboratory findings among children with chickenpox in Cincinnati, Ohio
1. ADistribution
2. BDeterminants
3. CApplication
14Essay entitled “On Airs, Waters, and Places,” suggested that environmental and host factors such as behaviors
1. AHippocrates
2. BJohn Graunt
3. CJohn Snow
15first to quantify patterns of birth, death, and disease occurrence, noting disparities between males and females, high infant mortality, urban/rural differences, and seasonal variations
1. AJohn Graunt
2. BJohn Snow
3. CWilliam Farr
16 Father of modern vital statistics and surveillance
1. AWilliam Farr
2. BJohn Snow
3. CJohn Graunt
17Father of field epidemiology
1. AJohn Graunt
2. BJohn Snow
3. CWilliam Farr
18Study linking lung cancer to smoking
1. ADoll and Hill
2. BJohn Snow
3. CKannel
19Reviewing reports of test results for Chlamydia trachomatis from public health clinics
1. APublic health surveillance
2. BField investigation
3. CAnalytic studies
4. DEvaluation
5. ELinkages
6. FPolicy development
20Meeting with directors of family planning clinics and college health clinics to discuss Chlamydia testing and reporting
1. APublic health surveillance
2. BAnalytic studies
3. CEvaluation
4. DField investigation
5. ELinkages
6. FPolicy development
21Developing guidelines/criteria about which patients coming to the clinic should be screened (tested) for Chlamydia infection
1. APublic health surveillance
2. BField investigation
3. CAnalytic studies
4. DEvaluation
5. ELinkages
6. FPolicy development
22Interviewing persons infected with Chlamydia to identify their sex partners
1. APublic health surveillance
2. BField investigation
3. CAnalytic studies
4. DEvaluation
5. ELinkages
6. FPolicy development
23Conducting an analysis of patient flow at the public health clinic to determine waiting times for clinic patients
1. APublic health surveillance
2. BAnalytic studies
3. CEvaluation
4. DLinkages
5. EPolicy development
6. FField investigation
24Comparing persons with symptomatic versus asymptomatic Chlamydia infection to identify predictors
1. APublic health surveillance
2. BField investigation
3. CEvaluation
4. DLinkages
5. EPolicy development
6. FAnalytic studies
25Comparing numbers and rates of illness in a community, rates are preferred for
1. AConducting surveillance for communicable diseases
2. BDeciding how many doses of immune globulin are needed
3. CEstimating subgroups at highest risk
4. DTelling physicians which strain of influenza is most prevalent
26For the cruise ship scenario described in Question 7, how would you display the time course of the outbreak?
1. AEndemic curve
2. BEpidemic curve
3. CSeasonal trend
4. DSecular trend
27For the cruise ship scenario described in Question 7, if you suspected that the norovirus may have been transmitted by ice made or served aboard ship, how might you NOT display "place"?
1. ASpot map by assigned dinner seating location
2. BSpot map by cabin
3. CShaded map of United States by state of residence
4. DShaded map by whether passenger consumed ship's ice or no
28Which variables might you include in characterizing the outbreak described in Question 7 by person?
1. AAge of passenger
2. BDetailed food history (what person ate) while aboard ship
3. CStatus as passenger or crew
4. DSymptoms
29When analyzing surveillance data by age, which of the following age groups is preferred?
1. A1-year age groups
2. B5-year age groups
3. C10-year age groups
4. DDepends on the disease
30A study in which children are randomly assigned to receive either a newly formulated vaccine or the currently available vaccine, and are followed to monitor for side effects and effectiveness of each vaccine, is an example of which type of study?
1. ACohort
2. BCase-control
3. CClinical trial
4. DCross Sectional
31The Iowa Women's Health Study, in which researchers enrolled 41,837 women in 1986 and collected exposure and lifestyle information to assess the relationship between these factors and subsequent occurrence of cancer, is an example of which type(s) of study?
1. ACohort
2. BCase-control
3. CClinical trial
4. DCross Sectional
32British investigators conducted a study to compare measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine history among 1,294 children with pervasive development disorder (e.g., autism and Asperger's syndrome) and 4,469 children without such disorders. (They found no association.) This is an example of which type(s) of study?
1. ACohort
2. BCase-control
3. CClinical trial
4. DCross Sectional
33A cohort study differs from a case-control study in that:
1. ASubjects are enrolled or categorized on the basis of their exposure status in a cohort study but not in a case-control study
2. BSubjects are asked about their exposure status in a cohort study but not in a case-control study
3. CCohort studies require many years to conduct, but case-control studies do not
4. DCohort studies are conducted to investigate chronic diseases, case-control studies are used for infectious diseases
34A key feature of a cross-sectional study EXCEPT:
1. AIt usually provides information on prevalence rather than incidence
2. BIt is limited to health exposures and behaviors rather than health outcomes
3. CIt is more useful for descriptive epidemiology than it is for analytic epidemiology
4. DIt is synonymous with survey
35The epidemiologic triad of disease causation refers to
1. AAgent, host, environment
2. BTime, place, person
3. CSource, mode of transmission, susceptible host
4. DJohn Snow, Robert Koch, Kenneth Rothman
36For each of the following, identify the appropriate letter from the time line in Figure 1.27 representing the natural history of disease.
1. AOnset of symptoms
2. BUsual time of diagnosis
3. CExposure
4. DLatency Period
37For each of the following, identify the appropriate letter from the time line in Figure 1.27 representing the natural history of disease.
1. AExposure
2. BOnset of symptoms
3. CPathologic Changes
4. DUsual Time of Diagnosis
38For each of the following, identify the appropriate letter from the time line in Figure 1.27 representing the natural history of disease.
1. AExposure
2. BOnset of symptoms
3. CUsual Time of Diagnosis
4. DPathologic Changes
39For each of the following, identify the appropriate letter from the time line in Figure 1.27 representing the natural history of disease.
1. AExposure
2. BOnset of symptoms
3. CUsual Time of Diagnosis
4. DPathologic Changes
40A reservoir of an infectious agent can be:
1. AAn asymptomatic human
2. BA symptomatic human
3. CAn animal
4. DThe environment
5. EAll of the above
41Indirect transmission includes which of the following EXCEPT?
1. ADroplet spread
2. BMosquito-borne
3. CFoodborne
4. DDoorknobs or toilet seats
42Disease control measures are generally directed at which of the followingEXXCEPT ?
1. AEliminating the reservoir
2. BEliminating the vector
3. CEliminating the host
4. DInterrupting mode of transmission
5. EReducing host susceptibility
43Disease 1: usually 40–50 cases per week; last week, 48 cases
1. AEndemic
2. BOutbreak
3. CPandemic
4. DSporadic
44Disease 2: fewer than 10 cases per year; last week, 1 case
1. AEndemic
2. BOutbreak
3. CPandemic
4. DSporadic
45Disease 3: usually no more than 2–4 cases per week; last week, 13 cases
1. AEndemic
2. BOutbreak
3. CPandemic
4. DSporadic
46A propagated epidemic is usually the result of what type of exposure?
1. APoint source
2. BContinuous common source
3. CIntermittent common source
4. DPerson-to-person
47Which of the following are frequency measures?
1. ABirth rate
2. BIncidence
3. CMortality rate
4. DPrevalence
48In a state that did not require varicella (chickenpox) vaccination, a boarding school experienced a prolonged outbreak of varicella among its students that began in September and continued through December. To calculate the probability or risk of illness among the students, which denominator would you use?
1. ANumber of susceptible students at the ending of the period (i.e., June)
2. BNumber of susceptible students at the midpoint of the period (late October/early November)
3. CNumber of susceptible students at the beginning of the period (i.e., September)
4. DAverage number of susceptible students during outbreak
49All proportions are ratios, but not all ratios are proportions.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
50Many of the students at the boarding school, including 6 just coming down with varicella, went home during the Thanksgiving break. About 2 weeks later, 4 siblings of these 6 students (out of a total of 10 siblings) developed varicella. The secondary attack rate among siblings was, therefore,:
1. A4 ⁄ 6
2. B4 ⁄ 10
3. C4 ⁄ 16
4. D6 ⁄ 10
51Investigators enrolled 100 diabetics without eye disease in a cohort (follow-up) study. The results of the first 3 years were as follows:
Year 1: 0 cases of eye disease detected out of 92; 8 lost to follow-up
Year 2: 2 new cases of eye disease detected out of 80; 2 had died; 10 lost to follow-up
Year 3: 3 new cases of eye disease detected out of 63; 2 more had died; 13 more lost to follow-up
The person-time incidence rate is calculated as:
1. A5 ⁄ 100
2. B5 ⁄ 63
3. C5 ⁄ 235
4. D5 ⁄ 250
52The units for the quantity you calculated in Question 8 could be expressed as:
1. Acases per 100 persons
2. Bpercent
3. Ccases per person-year
4. Dcases per person per year
53Measure of risk
1. AIncidence
2. BPrevalence
54 Generally preferred for chronic diseases without clear date of onset
1. AIncidence
2. BPrevalence
55Used in calculation of risk ratio
1. AIncidence
2. BPrevalence
56Affected by duration of illness
1. AIncidence
2. BPrevalence
57Use the following information for Questions 57–61.
Within 10 days after attending a June wedding, an outbreak of cyclosporiasis occurred among attendees. Of the 83 guests and wedding party members, 79 were interviewed; 54 of the 79 met the case definition. The following two-by-two table shows consumption of wedding cake (that had raspberry filling) and illness status.
Ate wedding cake? Ill Well Total
Yes 50 3 53
No 4 22 26
Total 54 25 79

The fraction 54 ⁄ 79 is a/an:
1. AFood-specific attack rate
2. BAttack rate
3. CIncidence proportion
4. DProportion
58The fraction 50 ⁄ 54 is a/an:
1. AAttack rate
2. BFood-specific attack rate
3. CIncidence proportion
4. DProportion
59The fraction 50 ⁄ 53 is a/an:
1. AAttack rate
2. BFood-specific attack rate
3. CIncidence proportion
4. DProportion
60The best measure of association to use for these data is a/an:
1. AFood-specific attack rate
2. BOdds ratio
3. CRate ratio
4. DRisk ratio
61The best estimate of the association between wedding cake and illness is:
1. A6.1
2. B7.7
3. C68.4
4. D83.7
5. E91.7
6. F94.3
62The attributable proportion for wedding cake is:
1. A6.1%
2. B7.7%
3. C68.4%
4. D83.7%
5. E91.7%
6. F94.3%
63Use the following diagram for Questions 63 and 64. Assume that the horizontal lines in the diagram represent duration of illness in 8 different people, out of a community of 700.

What is the prevalence of disease during July?
1. A3 ⁄ 700
2. B4 ⁄ 700
3. C5 ⁄ 700
4. D8 ⁄ 700
64What is the incidence of disease during July?
1. A3 ⁄ 700
2. B4 ⁄ 700
3. C5 ⁄ 700
4. D8 ⁄ 700
65Which of the following mortality rates use the estimated total mid-year population as its denominator?
1. AAge-specific mortality rate
2. BSex-specific mortality rate
3. CCrude mortality rate
4. DCause-specific mortality rate
66Vaccine efficacy measures are:
1. AThe proportion of vaccinees who do not get the disease
2. B1 − the attack rate among vaccinees
3. CThe proportionate reduction in disease among vaccinees
4. D1 − disease attributable to the vaccine
67To study the causes of an outbreak of aflatoxin poisoning in Africa, investigators conducted a case-control study with 40 case-patients and 80 controls. Among the 40 poisoning victims, 32 reported storing their maize inside rather than outside. Among the 80 controls, 20 stored their maize inside. The resulting odds ratio for the association between inside storage of maize and illness is:
1. A3.2
2. B5.2
3. C12.0
4. D33.3
68The crude mortality rate in Community A was higher than the crude mortality rate in Community B, but the age-adjusted mortality rate was higher in Community B than in Community A. This indicates that:
1. AInvestigators made a calculation error
2. BNo inferences can be made about the comparative age of the populations from these data
3. CThe population of Community A is, on average, older than that of Community B
4. DThe population of Community B is, on average, older than that of Community A
69public health surveillance includes which activities EXCEPT?
1. AData collection.
2. BData analysis.
3. CData interpretation.
4. DData dissemination.
5. EDisease control.
70Current public health surveillance targets which of the following?
1. AChronic diseases.
2. BCommunicable diseases.
3. CHealth-related behaviors.
4. DOccupational hazards.
5. EPresence of viruses in mosquitoes.
6. FAll of the above
71Public health surveillance can be described primarily as which of the following?
1. AA method to monitor occurrences of public health problems.
2. BA program to control disease outbreaks.
3. CA system for collecting health-related information.
4. DA system for monitoring persons who have been exposed to a communicable disease.
72Public health surveillance is only conducted by public health agencies.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
73Common uses and applications of public health surveillance include which of the following?
1. ADetecting individual persons with malaria so that they can receive prompt and appropriate treatment.
2. BHelping public health officials decide how to allocate their disease control resources.
3. CIdentifying changes over time in the proportion of children with elevated blood lead levels in a community.
4. DDocumenting changes in the incidence of varicella (chickenpox), if any, after a law requiring varicella vaccination took effect.
5. EAll of the above
74Data collected through which of the following methods is NOT commonly used for surveillance?
1. AVital registration.
2. BRandomized clinical trials.
3. CDisease notifications.
4. DPopulation surveys.
75Health-care providers might be important sources of surveillance data used by public health officials, and they should receive feedback to close the surveillance loop as a courtesy; however, the results almost never have any relevance to patient care provided by those health-care providers.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
76Vital statistics are important sources of data on which of the following?
1. AMorbidity.
2. BMortality.
3. CHealth-related behaviors.
4. DInjury and disability.
5. EOutpatient health-care usage.
77Vital statistics provide an archive of certain health data. These data do not become surveillance data until they are analyzed, interpreted, and disseminated with the intent of influencing public health decision-making or action.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
78Key sources of morbidity data include which of the following EXCEPT?
1. AEnvironmental monitoring data.
2. BHospital discharge data.
3. CLaboratory results.
4. DNotifiable disease reports.
79Notifiable disease surveillance usually focuses on morbidity from the diseases on the list and does not cover mortality from those diseases.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
80The list of diseases that a physician must report to the local health department is typically compiled by the…
1. ALocal health department.
2. BState health department.
3. CCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
4. DCouncil of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE).
5. EMedical licensing board.
81A physician working in an emergency room in Town A, USA, has just examined a tourist from Southeast Asia with watery diarrhea. The physician suspects the man might have cholera. The physician should notify the …
1. ALocal (town or county) health agency.
2. BState health department.
3. CCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
4. DU.S. Department of State.
5. EWashington, D.C., embassy of country of origin (ask for health attaché).
82[blank_start]Notifiable disease surveillance[blank_end] State-based, with subsequent reporting to CDC.
1. ANotifiable disease surveillance
2. BSurveillance for consumer product-relate
83[blank_start]Notifiable disease surveillance[blank_end]Focused on identifying individual cases.
1. ANotifiable disease surveillance
2. BSurveillance for consumer product-relate
3. CBoth.
4. DNeither
84[blank_start]Both[blank_end]
Can monitor trends over time.
1. ABoth
2. BNotifiable disease surveillance
3. CSurveillance for consumer product-relate
4. DNeither
85Based on statistically valid sample.
1. ANotifiable disease surveillance
2. BSurveillance for consumer product-related injuries
3. CBoth.
4. DNeither
86Complete, unbiased reporting
1. ANotifiable disease surveillance
2. BSurveillance for consumer product-related injuries
3. CBoth.
4. DNeither.
87Evaluating and improving surveillance should address which of the following EXCEPT?
1. APurpose and objectives of surveillance.
2. BResources needed to conduct surveillance.
3. CEffectiveness of measures for controlling the disease under surveillance.
4. DPresence of characteristics of well-conducted surveillance.
88Criteria for prioritizing health problems for surveillance include which of the following EXCEPT?
1. AIncidence of the problem.
2. BPublic concern about the problem.
3. CNumber of previous studies of the problem.
4. DSocial and economic impact of the problem.
89Watches for individual cases of disease of public health importance.
1. ASurveillance based on a specific case definition for a disease (e.g., listeriosis).
2. BSyndromic surveillance based on symptoms, signs, or other characteristics of a disease, rather than specific clinical or laboratory diagnostic criteria.
3. CBoth.
4. DNeither
90Watches for diseases that might be caused by acts of biologic or chemical terrorism.
1. ASurveillance based on a specific case definition for a disease (e.g., listeriosis).
2. BSyndromic surveillance based on symptoms, signs, or other characteristics of a disease, rather than specific clinical or laboratory diagnostic criteria.
3. CBoth.
4. DNeither
91Can watch for disease before a patient seeks care from a health-care provider.
1. ASurveillance based on a specific case definition for a disease (e.g., listeriosis).
2. BSyndromic surveillance based on symptoms, signs, or other characteristics of a disease, rather than specific clinical or laboratory diagnostic criteria.
3. CBoth.
4. DNeither
92 Requires little effort on the part of the health department.
1. ASurveillance based on a specific case definition for a disease (e.g., listeriosis).
2. BSyndromic surveillance based on symptoms, signs, or other characteristics of a disease, rather than specific clinical or laboratory diagnostic criteria.
3. CBoth
4. DNeither
93Routine analysis of notifiable disease surveillance data at the state health department might NOT include looking at the number of cases of a disease reported this week …
1. Aand during the previous 2–4 weeks.
2. Band the number reported during the comparable weeks of the previous 2–5 years.
3. Csimultaneously by age, race, and sex of the patient.
4. Dby county.
5. Eby county, divided by each county's population (i.e., county rates).
94One week, a state health department received substantially more case reports of a disease in one county than had been reported during the previous 2 weeks. No increase was reported in neighboring counties. Possible explanations for this increase include which of the following?
1. AAn outbreak in the county.
2. BBatch reports.
3. CDuplicate reports.
4. DIncrease in the county's population.
5. ELaboratory error.
6. FAll of the above
95The primary reason for preparing and distributing periodic surveillance summaries is which of the following?
1. ADocument recent epidemiologic investigations.
2. BProvide timely information on disease patterns and trends to those who need to know it.
3. CProvide reprints ofMMWR articles, reports, and recommendations.
4. DAcknowledge the contributions of those who submitted case reports.
96Surveillance detected 23 of 30 actual cases of a disease.
1. APredictive value positive.
2. BSensitivity.
3. CSpecificity.
4. DValidity
97 Of 16 statistically significant aberrations (deviations from baseline) detected by syndromic surveillance, only one represented an actual outbreak of disease.
1. APredictive value positive.
2. BSensitivity.
3. CSpecificity.
4. DValidity.
98Underreporting is not a problem for detecting outbreaks of notifiable diseases because the proportion of cases reported tends to remain relatively stable over time.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
99Initiating surveillance for a public health problem or adding a disease to the notifiable disease list is justified for which of the following reason?
1. AIf it is a communicable disease with a high case-fatality rate.
2. BIf the problem is new and systematically collected data are needed to characterize the disease and its impact on the public.
3. CIf a program at CDC has recommended its addition to better understand national trends and patterns.
4. Dall of the above
100The case definition used for surveillance of a health problem should be the same as the case definition used for clinical (treatment) purposes.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
101A state health department decides to strengthen its notifiable disease reporting. The one best action to take is to …
1. Aallow reporting through use of the Internet.
2. Brequire more disease-specific forms from local health departments.
3. Censure that all persons with a responsibility to report understand the requirements and reasons for reporting and how reports will be used.
4. Dreduce the number of diseases on the list.
102Which of the following best describes the similarities and differences in the three distributions shown in Figure 2.11?
1. ASame mean, median, mode; different standard deviation
2. BSame mean, median, mode; same standard deviation
3. CDifferent mean, median, mode; different standard deviation
4. DDifferent mean, median, mode; same standard deviation
103Which of the following terms accurately describe the distribution shown in Figure 2.12?
1. ANegatively skewed
2. BPositively skewed
3. CSymmetrical
104What is the likely relationship between mean, median, and mode of the distribution shown in Figure 2.12?
1. AMean < median < mode
2. BMean = median = mode
3. CMean > median > mode
4. DMode < mean and median, but cannot tell relationship between mean and median
105The mode is the value that:
1. AIs midway between the lowest and highest value
2. BOccurs most often
3. CHas half the observations below it and half above it
4. DIs statistically closest to all of the values in the distribution
106The median is the value that:
1. AIs midway between the lowest and highest value
2. BOccurs most often
3. CHas half the observations below it and half above it
4. DIs statistically closest to all of the values in the distribution
107Is statistically closest to all of the values in the distribution
1. AIs midway between the lowest and highest value
2. BOccurs most often
3. CHas half the observations below it and half above it
4. DIs statistically closest to all of the values in the distribution
108The geometric mean is the value that:
1. AIs midway between the lowest and highest value on a log scale
2. BOccurs most often on a log scale
3. CHas half the observations below it and half above it on a log scale
4. DIs statistically closest to all of the values in the distribution on a log scale
109In epidemiology, the measure of central location generally preferred for summarizing skewed data such as incubation periods is the:
1. AMean
2. BMedian
3. CMidrange
4. DMode
110The measure of central location generally preferred for additional statistical analysis is the:
1. AMean
2. BMedian
3. CMidrange
4. DMode
111Which of the following is NOT considered measures of spread?
1. AInterquartile range
2. BPercentile
3. CRange
4. DStandard deviation
112The measure of spread most affected by one extreme value is the:
1. AInterquartile range
2. BRange
3. CStandard deviation
4. DMean
113The interquartile range covers what proportion of a distribution?
1. A25%
2. B50%
3. C75%
4. D100%
114The measure of central location most commonly used with the interquartile range is the:
1. AArithmetic mean
2. BGeometric mean
3. CMedian
4. DMidrange
5. EMode
115The measure of central location most commonly used with the standard deviation is the:
1. AArithmetic mean
2. BMedian
3. CMidrange
4. DMode
116The algebraic relationship between the variance and standard deviation is that:
1. AThe standard deviation is the square root of the variance
2. BThe variance is the square root of the standard deviation
3. CThe standard deviation is the variance divided by the square root of n
4. DThe variance is the standard deviation divided by the square root of n
117Before calculating a standard deviation, one should ensure that:
1. AThe data are somewhat normally distributed
2. BThe total number of observations is at least 50
3. CThe variable is an interval-scale or ratio-scale variable
4. DAll of the above
118Simply by scanning the values in each distribution below, identify the distribution with the largest standard deviation.
1. A1, 10, 15, 18, 20, 20, 22, 25, 30, 39
2. B1, 3, 8, 10, 20, 20, 30, 32, 37, 39
3. C1, 15, 17, 19, 20, 20, 21, 23, 25, 39
4. D41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49
119Given the area under a normal curve, which two of the following ranges are the same? (Circle the TWO that are the same.)
1. AFrom the 2.5th percentile to the 97.5th percentile
2. BFrom the 5th percentile to the 95th percentile
3. CFrom the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile
4. DFrom 1 standard deviation below the mean to 1 standard deviation above the mean
5. ENone of the above
120The primary use of the standard error of the mean is in calculating the:
1. Aconfidence interval
2. Berror rate
3. Cstandard deviation
4. Dvariance
121Tables and graphs are NOT important tools for which tasks of an epidemiologist?
1. AData collection
2. BData summarization (descriptive epidemiology)
3. CData analysis
4. DData presentation
122A table in a report or manuscript should include EXCEPT:
1. ATitle
2. BRow and column labels
3. CFootnotes that explain abbreviations, symbols, exclusions
4. DSource of the data
5. EExplanation of the key findings
123The following table is unacceptable because the percentages add up to 99.9% rather than 100.0%

Age group No. Percent
< 1 year 10 19.6
1–4 9 17.6
5–9 9 17.6
10–14 17 33.3
≥15 6 11.8
Total 53
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
124In the following table, the total number of persons with the disease is:
Cases Controls Total
Exposed 22 12 34
Unexposed 3 13 16
Total 25 25 50
1. A3
2. B22
3. C25
4. D34
5. E50
125A table shell is the:
1. ABox around the outside of a table
2. BLines ("skeleton") of a table without the labels or title
3. CTable with data but without the title, labels or data
4. DTable with labels and title but without the data
126The best time to create table shells is:
1. AJust before planning a study
2. BAs part of planning the study
3. CJust after collecting the data
4. DJust before analyzing the data
5. EAs part of analyzing the data
127Recommended methods for creating categories for continuous variables include:
1. ABasing the categories on the mean and standard deviation
2. BDividing the data into categories with similar numbers of observations in each
3. CDividing the range into equal class intervals
4. DUsing categories that have been used in national surveillance summary reports
5. EUsing the same categories as your population data are grouped
6. FAll of the above
7. GNone of the above
128In frequency distributions, observations with missing values should be excluded.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
129The following are reasonable categories for a disease that mostly affects people over age 65 years:
Age Group
< 65 years
65–70
70–75
75–80
80–85
85
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
130In general, before you create a graph to display data, you should put the data into a table.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
131On an arithmetic-scale line graph, the x-axis and y-axis each should:
1. ABegin at zero on each axis
2. BHave labels for the tick marks and each axis
3. CUse the same tick mark spacing on the two axes
4. DAll of the above
132[blank_start]Semilogarithmic-scale line graph[blank_end]A wide range of values can be plotted and seen clearly, regardless of magnitude
1. ASemilogarithmic-scale line graph
2. BArithmetic-scale line graph
3. CBoth
4. DNeither
133[blank_start]Arithmetic-scale line graph[blank_end]A constant rate of change would be represented by a curved line
1. AArithmetic-scale line graph
2. BSemilogarithmic-scale line graph
3. CBoth
4. DNeither
134[blank_start]Semilogarithmic-scale line graph[blank_end]The y-axis tick labels could be 0.1, 1, 10, and 100
1. ASemilogarithmic-scale line graph
2. BArithmetic-scale line graph
3. CBoth
4. DNeither
135[blank_start]Both[blank_end]
Can plot numbers or rates
1. ABoth
2. BArithmetic-scale line graph
3. CSemilogarithmic-scale line graph
4. DNeither
136[blank_start]Bar chart[blank_end]Used for categorical variables on the x-axis
1. ABar chart
2. BHistogram
3. CBoth
4. DNeither
137[blank_start]Both[blank_end]
Columns can be subdivided with color or shading to show subgroups
1. ABoth
2. BBar Chart
3. CHistogram
4. DNeither
138[blank_start]Histogram[blank_end]Displays continuous data
1. AHistogram
2. BBar chart
3. CBoth
4. DNeither
139[blank_start]Histogram[blank_end] Epidemic curve
1. AHistogram
2. BBar Chart
3. CBoth
4. DNeither
140Which of the following shapes of a population pyramid is most consistent with a young population?
1. ATall, narrow rectangle
2. BShort, wide rectangle
3. CTriangle base down
4. DTriangle base up
141A frequency polygon differs from a line graph because a frequency polygon:
1. ADisplays a frequency distribution; a line graph plots data points
2. BCan show percentages on the y-axis; a line graph cannot
3. CCannot be used to plot data over time
4. DAll of the above
142Y-axis shows percentages from 0% to 100%
1. ACumulative frequency curve
2. BSurvival curve
3. CBoth
4. DNeither
143Plotted curve usually begins in the upper left corner
1. ACumulative frequency curve
2. BSurvival curve
3. CBoth
4. DNeither
144Plotted curve usually begins in the lower left corner
1. ACumulative frequency curve
2. BSurvival curve
3. CBoth
4. DNeither
145Horizontal line drawn from 50% tick mark to plotted curve intersects at median
1. ACumulative frequency curve
2. BSurvival curve
3. CBoth
4. DNeither
146A scatter diagram is the graph of choice for plotting:
1. AAnabolic steroid levels measured in both blood and urine among a group of athletes
2. BMean cholesterol levels over time in a population
3. CInfant mortality rates by mean annual income among different countries
4. DSystolic blood pressure by eye color (brown, blue, green, other) measured in each person
147Which of the following requires more than one variable?
1. AFrequency distribution
2. BOne-variable table
3. CPie chart
4. DScatter diagram
5. ESimple bar chart
148Compared with a scatter diagram, a dot plot:
1. AIs another name for the same type of graph
2. BDiffer because a scatter diagram plots two continuous variables; a dot plot plots one continuous and one categorical variable
3. CDiffer because a scatter diagram plots one continuous and one categorical variable; a dot plot plots two continuous variables
4. DPlots location of cases on a map
149A spot map must reflect numbers; an area map must reflect rates.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
150To display different rates on an area map using different colors, select different colors that have the same intensity, so as not to bias the audience.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
151In an oral presentation, three-dimensional pie charts and three-dimensional columns in bar charts are desirable because they add visual interest to a slide.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
152A 100% component bar chart shows the same data as a stacked bar chart. The key difference is in the units on the x-axis.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
153When creating a bar chart, the decision to use vertical or horizontal bars is usually based on:
1. AThe magnitude of the data being graphed and hence the scale of the axis
2. BWhether the data being graphed represent numbers or percentages
3. CWhether the creator is an epidemiologist (who almost always use vertical bars)
4. DWhich looks better, such as whether the label fits below the bar
154[blank_start]Grouped bar chart[blank_end] Number of cases of dog bites by age group (adult or child) and sex of the victim
1. AGrouped bar chart
2. BHistogram
3. CLine graph
4. DPie chart
155[blank_start]Pie chart[blank_end]Number of cases of dog bites by breed of the dog
1. APie chart
2. BGrouped bar chart
3. CHistogram
4. DLine graph
156[blank_start]Line graph[blank_end]Number of cases of dog bites per 100,000 population over time
1. ALine graph
2. BGrouped bar chart
3. CHistogram
4. DPie Chart
157Number of cases of dog bites over time
1. AGrouped bar chart
2. BHistogram
3. CLine graph
4. DPie chart
158Which are the most common ways that a local health department uncovers outbreaks?
1. APerforming descriptive analysis of surveillance data each week
2. BPerforming time series analysis to detect deviations from expected values based on the previous few weeks and comparable periods during the previous few years
3. CReceiving calls from affected residents
4. DReceiving calls from healthcare providers
5. EReviewing all case reports received each week to detect common features
159Factors that influence a health department's decision whether or not to conduct a field investigation in response to one or more cases of disease include
1. AThe nature of the disease
2. BThe number of cases
3. CResources available
4. DHealth department's traditional attitude toward conducting field investigations
5. EAll of the above
160If a particular outbreak presents an unusual opportunity to learn more about the disease and its epidemiology by conducting a study, but early disease control measures would interfere with the study, one should conduct the study quickly, then implement control measures immediately afterwards.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
161Outbreak with known causative agent, source, and mode of transmission
1. ADisease control and prevention efforts take priority over investigation efforts
2. BInvestigation efforts take priority over disease control and prevention efforts
162Outbreak with known causative agent, but unknown source and mode of transmission
1. ADisease control and prevention efforts take priority over investigation efforts
  Investigation efforts take priority over disease control and prevention efforts
2. BIf the agent is known but the source and mode of transmission are not known (example: Salmonella eventually traced to marijuana), then the health department does not know how to target its intervention. Investigation to learn the source and/or mode is necessary.
163Outbreak with unknown causative agent, source, and mode of transmission
1. ADisease control and prevention efforts take priority over investigation efforts
2. BInvestigation efforts take priority over disease control and prevention efforts
164Use the following steps of an outbreak investigation for Question 5:
1. Analyze data by time, place, and person
2. Conduct a case-control study
3. Generate hypotheses
4. Conduct active surveillance for additional cases
5. Verify the diagnosis
6. Confirm that the number of cases exceeds the expected number
7. Talk with laboratorians about specimen collection

For an investigation of an outbreak, what is the logical conceptual order of the steps listed above?
1. A1-2-3-4-5-6-7
2. B5-6-4-1-2-3-7
3. C6-5-3-1-2-7-4
4. D6-5-7-4-1-3-2
165To avoid skipping a critical step, investigators should conduct the steps of an outbreak investigation in the precise order you answered in Question 164.
1. ATrue
2. BFalse
166200 cases of Marburg virus infection in several districts in Angola over several months (usually none)
1. ACluster
2. BEpidemic
3. COutbreak
16740 cases ofSalmonella Enteritidis in 1 week traced to a single meal served at a cafeteria (usually none)
1. ACluster
2. BEpidemic
3. COutbreak
16810 cases of cancer diagnosed over 2 years among residents of a single neighborhood (previous data not available)
1. ACluster
2. BEpidemic
3. COutbreak
169Why should an investigator who has no clinical background nonetheless talk to a patient or two as an early step in the outbreak investigation?
1. ATo advise the patient about common risk factors and the usual course of the illness, after reviewing such information in appropriate reference material
2. BTo develop hypotheses about the cause of the outbreak
3. CTo learn more about the clinical manifestations of the disease
4. DTo verify the clinical findings as part of verifying the diagnosis
5. ETo verify the laboratory findings as part of verifying the diagnosis

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Description: User has deleted their subject information Quiz on Epidemiology Quiz, created by Deleted user on 10/05/2018.
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Language: English
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History: Created on 10 May 2018 · updated on 22 May 2018
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Epidemiology Quiz

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