lesson 1 Flashcards
(25 cards)
Front: What is epidemiology about?
Back: Epidemiology is the investigation of causes of health-related events in populations.
Front: What is intervention epidemiology?
Back: The use of science as the basis for intervention programs designed to improve public health.
Front: Define field epidemiology.
Back: The application of epidemiologic methods by public health representatives to address specific health-related questions in community settings.
Front: What is the primary goal of field epidemiology?
Back: To guide the selection and implementation of interventions quickly to reduce or prevent illness or death.
Front: What are the general conditions of field epidemiology?
Back:
1. The problem is unexpected.
2. A timely response is required.
3. Epidemiologists must travel to and work in the field.
Front: Define an epidemic.
Back: A disease that affects a large number of people within a community, population, or region.
Front: Define a pandemic.
Back: An epidemic that spreads over multiple countries or continents.
Front: What is an endemic?
Back: A disease or condition regularly found among particular people or in a certain area.
Front: What is an outbreak?
Back: A greater-than-expected increase in the number of endemic cases or a single case in a new area.
Front: What is an epidemic curve?
Back: A histogram showing the course of a disease outbreak by plotting the number of cases over time.
Front: What is the epidemiologic triad?
Back: The traditional model of infectious disease causation, including an agent, host, and environment.
Front: Define applied epidemiology.
Back: The practice of using epidemiology to address public health issues.
Front: What is an attack rate?
Back: A measure of the frequency of new cases in a defined population over a limited time period, such as during an outbreak.
Front: What is public health surveillance?
Back: The systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of health data to control and prevent disease.
Front: What is sentinel surveillance?
Back: A system where a selected sample of sources reports all cases of specific conditions.
Front: Define zoonoses.
Back: Infectious diseases that can naturally be transmitted from animals to humans.
Front: What are the unique challenges of field epidemiology?
Back:
1. Small data samples.
2. Limited specimen availability.
3. Publicity effects.
4. Reluctance to participate.
5. Conflicting pressures to intervene.
Front: What are the three key differences between field investigations and conventional epidemiologic studies?
Back:
1. Field investigations often don’t start with a clear hypothesis.
2. Acute problems involve an immediate need to protect the public.
3. Decisions are based on available information for timely action.
Front: What is the definition of an outbreak according to the CDC?
Back: A sudden rise in the number of disease cases in a community, geographic area, or multiple countries.
Front: What is the importance of field epidemiology during an outbreak?
Back: To identify the source or cause of the outbreak and implement timely control measures.
Front: How do acute disease outbreaks differ from expected outbreaks
Back: Acute outbreaks involve sudden increases in cases and an immediate need for action, while expected outbreaks (e.g., seasonal flu) occur regularly.
Front: What is a case definition in epidemiology?
Back: A set of standard criteria to determine whether an individual has a specific disease, based on clinical, time, place, and person criteria.
Front: What is a cluster in epidemiology?
Back: An aggregation of disease cases in a specific time and place, which may or may not exceed expected numbers.
Front: What is the purpose of public health surveillance?
Back: To monitor patterns of disease occurrence and implement control and prevention measures.
