Question 1

While the health care system is not the most important determinant of a population's health, ________.

Accepted Answer

While the health care system is not the most important determinant of a population's health, it can make a decisive difference for individuals with a specific disease or injury.

Question 2

A key difference between Canada (and other wealthy countries) and the United States is _________.

Accepted Answer

In Canada, essential medical and hospital care is treated as a public good (shared asset), whereas in the United States, a seriously ill or injured person may have to make arrangements up-front for private payment in order to obtain essential health care. This fundamental difference in approach to healthcare coverage leads to different outcomes and experiences for citizens.

Question 3

"Informal care" refers to _________

Accepted Answer

Informal care refers to the provision of care by family members or friends, rather than by trained professionals or medical organizations.

Question 4

In Canada, _________

Accepted Answer

In Canada, about 70% of health care costs are covered by provincial health care insurance or workers' compensation plans, with the remaining costs often covered by private insurance or out-of-pocket payments.

Question 5

The following statement is TRUE: ________.

Accepted Answer

Medical error is the third leading cause of death in Canada, according to a report published by the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. The other options are not completely true. Health care is not uniformly safe and effective, there are cases of adverse events happening to patients. Prescription drugs may have side-effects that are not detected during clinical trials, and hospital treatments are not always informed by the latest scientific findings.

Question 6

________ is NOT a problem for achieving successful medical treatment.

Accepted Answer

Providers strictly adhering to clinical guidelines and safe-care protocols would actually help in achieving successful medical treatment. The other options are potential problems that can hinder successful medical treatment.

Question 7

"Cultural safety" refers to ________.

Accepted Answer

Cultural safety refers to ensuring that health care services are appropriate for a population by considering their culture, language, and history. It goes beyond simply offering information in different languages and focuses on creating an environment where patients feel safe and respected in accessing health care services.

Question 8

Health services aimed at benefitting the population rather than specific individuals needing treatment or care are referred to as ________.

Accepted Answer

Public health services focus on preventing and promoting health for the entire population through various interventions such as vaccinations, health education, and disease surveillance. Primary care, social care, and informal care are all focused on individual patients' needs and addressing their specific health concerns.

Question 9

The primary aim of immunization programs is ________.

Accepted Answer

The primary aim of immunization programs is to reduce the spread of communicable diseases in a population, thereby achieving herd immunity and protecting the community at large.

Question 10

In most instances, screening and early detection do not provide the anticipated positive results. An important exception is ________.

Accepted Answer

PAP smears are an important exception as they have been highly effective in reducing the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer through early detection and treatment of precancerous lesions.

Question 11

The two main classes of research studies are ________.

Accepted Answer

The two main classes of research studies are observational and experimental. Observational studies do not involve any interventions or treatments, but instead observe and collect data on certain groups or populations. Experimental studies, on the other hand, involve interventions or treatments that are deliberately given to certain groups or populations to see the effects of those interventions. Cross-sectional studies and cohort studies are types of observational studies, while case-control studies are a type of retrospective observational study. Clinical trials are a type of experimental study.

Question 12

Cross-sectional studies have a serious weakness associated with ________.

Accepted Answer

The weakness associated with cross-sectional studies is the inability to establish a temporal order of associated variables. Cross-sectional studies only measure exposure and outcome at a single point in time, which makes it difficult to determine if the exposure or the outcome occurred first. This makes it difficult to establish a cause and effect relationship between the two variables.

Question 13

A serious problem with all observational studies is ________.

Accepted Answer

Confounding is a serious problem with all observational studies because it refers to the presence of an extraneous variable that is related to both the exposure and the outcome, making it difficult to determine the true relationship between the two. Confounding can lead to inaccurate conclusions and is often difficult to control for in observational studies. The other options (B, C, D) are also potential problems with observational studies, but they are not as universally applicable as confounding.

Question 14

A large, well-conducted study showed that 12 hours of regular moderate intensity exercise per week is associated with a 20 per cent reduction in coronary heart disease. We can correctly infer that ________.

Accepted Answer

The study shows that there is a correlation between 12 hours of exercise per week and a 20% reduction in coronary heart disease. This means that, in a similar population, there would be a decrease of 20% in the number of heart attacks. However, it does not necessarily mean that an individual who exercises 12 hours per week will definitely reduce their risk of coronary heart disease by 20%. Additionally, the study does not provide evidence for the statement that inactivity causes heart attacks, nor does it indicate that the more exercise, the greater the benefit for cardiac health.

Question 15

The following statement about research methods is TRUE: ________.

Accepted Answer

Cohort studies are preferred over case-control studies when it comes to explanatory power. This is because cohort studies follow participants over time and contain information on the temporal order of variables, allowing for better assessment of causality. Case-control studies, on the other hand, are limited by their retrospective design and are subject to recall bias. While both study designs have their strengths, the statement that case-control studies are more powerful than cohort studies is incorrect.

Question 16

Odds ratios derived from case-control studies and relative risks derived from cohort studies are measures of ________.

Accepted Answer

Odds ratios and relative risks are both measures of association between variables, indicating the strength of the relationship between exposure and outcome. However, they cannot prove causation, as other factors may be responsible for the observed association. Prevalence refers to the proportion of a population with a particular condition, and statistical significance is a measure of the likelihood that an observed association is due to chance.

Question 17

An experimental study attempts to discern ________.

Accepted Answer

An experimental study aims to identify meaningful differences between control and experimental groups to determine the effect of the intervention.

Question 18

Randomization of a sufficiently large study population into an experimental population (group) and a control population (group) is necessary to ensure ________.

Accepted Answer

Randomization ensures that any differences observed between the experimental and control groups are due to the intervention being studied rather than other population characteristics. This improves the validity of the study findings. Generalizability and real world, clinical significance may also be important, but they are not directly related to the use of randomization.

Question 19

Studies of the impact of diet on health produce confusing and contradictory results. This is because ________.

Accepted Answer

Most studies of the impact of diet on health are observational, meaning researchers are merely observing and collecting data based on what people choose to eat. These studies suffer from confounding variables (factors that can influence the outcome that aren't being accounted for) and recall bias (errors in remembering what was consumed) which can make it difficult to determine causality. Controlled experimental studies are generally considered the gold standard, but they can be expensive and difficult to conduct in real-world settings. While the food industry does fund some studies, the impact of industry funding on results is debated and likely varies study-by-study. People's diets can be relatively stable over time, but this is not the primary reason for confusing and contradictory results.

Question 20

One of the biggest problems with the reliability of health research study findings is ________.

Accepted Answer

The lack of replication of studies is a major issue in the reliability of health research findings. Without replication, it is difficult to confirm the validity and robustness of the initial findings.

Quiz 3: Health Care Services and Health Research Methods New