Question 1

The actual amount of a disease that can be attributed to exposure to a particular risk factor is called the:

Accepted Answer

The actual amount of a disease that can be attributed to exposure to a particular risk factor is called the attributable risk. This measure represents the incidence of disease in the exposed group minus the incidence of disease in the non-exposed group.

Question 2

Mortality refers to the:

Accepted Answer

Mortality specifically refers to the number of deaths due to a specific cause. A is describing morbidity, C is describing incidence, and D is describing prevalence.

Question 3

Which type of study begins with a group of people who are already suffering from a disease and then examines factors associated with that disease?

Accepted Answer

A retrospective study begins with a group of people who are already suffering from a disease and then examines factors associated with that disease.

Question 4

Which of these is NOT a basic condition that must be met before a cause-and-effect relationship between a risk factor and a health outcome can be inferred?

Accepted Answer

All of the other options are basic conditions that must be met before a cause-and-effect relationship can be inferred. However, the relationship between the risk factor and health outcome must make sense and be biologically plausible in order for it to be considered a causal relationship.

Question 5

Prevalence refers to the:

Accepted Answer

Prevalence refers to the total number of diagnosed cases of a disease or condition at a given time. It is a measure of the burden of the disease in the population. Option A is incorrect as it refers to incidence. Option B is incorrect as it refers to mortality. Option C is incorrect as it refers to the number of new cases (incidence) rather than the total number of cases (prevalence).

Question 6

Which type of epidemiological study played an important role in initially identifying the risk factors that led to AIDS?

Accepted Answer

A retrospective study is a study that looks back in time and analyzes previous events. In the case of AIDS, a retrospective study would analyze the medical histories of patients who had been diagnosed with the disease. This type of study was important in identifying risk factors that led to AIDS because researchers could analyze the medical histories of patients who had the disease and compare them to those who did not. Through this analysis, they were able to identify risk factors such as sexual activity, drug use, and blood transfusions that were associated with a higher risk of contracting the disease.

Question 7

Incidence refers to the:

Accepted Answer

Incidence refers to the number of new cases of a disease in a specific population.

Question 8

John Snow's investigation of the 1848 cholera epidemic in London is an example of which type of research study?

Accepted Answer

John Snow's investigation of the 1848 cholera epidemic involved analyzing data from past events to understand the source and spread of the disease, making it a retrospective study. He did not manipulate variables or randomly assign participants, which rules out randomized clinical trials and quasi-experiments. His study was not cross-sectional, as it did not examine a population at a single point in time but rather investigated past occurrences.

Question 9

A quantitative technique that combines the results of many different studies that examine the same effect or phenomenon is called a:

Accepted Answer

A meta-analysis is a statistical technique that combines the results of multiple studies in order to provide a numerical estimate of the overall effect size. This allows for a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the phenomenon being studied. The other options (B, C, and D) are not appropriate because they do not accurately describe the process of combining results from multiple studies.

Question 10

The ratio of the prevalence of a health condition in a group exposed to a particular risk factor to the prevalence of that condition in a group not exposed to the risk factor is called:

Accepted Answer

The given ratio is also known as relative risk. Therefore, the correct answer is option D. Option A is incorrect as prevalence alone does not compare prevalence rates between two groups. Option B and C are not correct as they describe ratios between incidence and prevalence, rather than comparing prevalence rates between exposed and unexposed groups.

Question 11

We determine attributable risk by subtracting the _____ rate of a disease in people who have been exposed to a risk factor from the _____ rate of the disease in people who have not been exposed to the risk factor.

Accepted Answer

Attributable risk is calculated by subtracting the incidence rate of a disease in unexposed individuals from the incidence rate in exposed individuals, focusing on new cases over a specific period to assess the risk contribution of the exposure.

Question 12

Which epidemiological method is essentially the same as a longitudinal study?

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal study is a type of observational study that follows a group of individuals over time, collecting data at multiple time points. A prospective study is a similar type of observational study where individuals are followed over time to observe outcomes. Therefore, a prospective study is essentially the same as a longitudinal study. Retrospective studies, randomized clinical trials, and meta-analyses are different types of epidemiological methods.

Question 13

Epidemiologists have found that sedentary people are twice as likely to develop a particular health condition as people who exercise regularly.This means that:

Accepted Answer

The statement says that sedentary people are twice as likely to develop the health condition, which means they have a relative risk of 2.0 compared to people who exercise regularly. This does not imply a cause-and-effect relationship, nor does it suggest that lack of exercise is the only contributing factor to the development of the health condition.

Question 14

Professor Gomez conducts a meta-analysis of the estimated number of diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States.She finds that certain groups continue to be disproportionately affected by the virus.Which group of individuals is she most likely to find most affected?

Accepted Answer

Research shows that men who have sex with men, particularly those within the African American community, have the highest rates of HIV diagnoses in the United States. This group remains disproportionately affected by the virus despite efforts to raise awareness and provide preventative measures.

Question 15

A statistical indicator of the likelihood of a causal relationship between a specific risk factor and a health outcome is:

Accepted Answer

Relative risk is a statistical indicator that compares the risk of developing a health outcome in a group exposed to a risk factor compared to a group not exposed to the risk factor. A higher relative risk indicates a stronger association between the risk factor and the health outcome, indicating a greater likelihood of a causal relationship. Meta-analysis is a method that summarizes the results of multiple studies on the same topic. Effect size describes the magnitude of the association between a risk factor and a health outcome, but does not indicate the likelihood of a causal relationship. Attributable risk estimates the proportion of disease cases that can be attributed to a specific risk factor, but does not directly indicate the likelihood of a causal relationship.

Question 16

In one study,health psychologists compared the reading level of children who attended a school close to a noisy airport with the reading level of children attending a school in a much quieter area.This is an example of a:

Accepted Answer

The answer of In one study,health psychologists compared the reading...

Question 17

Which epidemiological method is essentially the same as a true experiment?

Accepted Answer

A randomized clinical trial is essentially the same as a true experiment as participants are randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a control group. This allows for comparisons to be made between the two groups and for causality to be inferred. Retrospective and prospective studies are observational and do not involve randomization of participants. A meta-analysis is a statistical analysis of multiple studies, but it is not a specific epidemiological method.

Question 18

Longitudinal epidemiological studies that begin with people who are disease-free and are then followed for a period of years are called:

Accepted Answer

Prospective studies are designed to follow a group of people (a cohort) over a period of time to see if and when they develop a particular disease or condition. These studies begin with people who do not have the disease or condition of interest and are followed forward in time to see if and when the disease or condition develops. Retrospective studies, on the other hand, are designed to look back in time to find possible causes or risk factors for a particular disease or condition. Correlational studies are used to determine if there is a relationship or association between two or more variables, but they do not determine cause and effect. Cross-sectional studies assess the relationship between a particular trait or disease and other variables of interest at a single point in time.

Question 19

Dr.Sengupta is conducting research on the etiology of bird flu.This means that she wants to understand the:

Accepted Answer

Etiology refers to the study of the origins, causes, and development of a disease. Therefore, Dr. Sengupta's research on the etiology of bird flu means she is interested in understanding the origins of the disease.

Question 20

Morbidity refers to the:

Accepted Answer

Morbidity refers to the incidence of disease or the condition of being diseased, typically measured by the number of unfavorable health outcomes within a population at a given time. It does not directly relate to death (mortality) or specifically to new or total cases but rather to the condition of being ill or having a disease.

Quiz 2: Research in Health Psychology