Question 1

Which of these is not an essential element of program management in public health?

Accepted Answer

Visionary leadership, while beneficial, is not considered an essential element specifically for program management in public health, which focuses more on practical aspects like resource allocation, program hypothesis, and objective development.

Question 2

Preventive interventions that target entire populations are considered clinical prevention.

Accepted Answer

Preventive interventions that target entire populations are considered public health prevention, not clinical prevention, which focuses on individual patient care.

Question 3

"Within 5 years, cancer deaths from endometrial cancer will decrease by 25%" is an example of what kind of objective?

Accepted Answer

This objective is an outcome objective as it specifies a desired result (decrease in cancer deaths) that can be measured and achieved over a period of time (5 years).

Question 4

Which of these questions is best answered by an intervention's efficacy?

Accepted Answer

Efficacy refers to the ability of an intervention to produce a desired effect or result in a controlled environment or under ideal circumstances. Therefore, the best question that can be answered by an intervention's efficacy is whether the intervention works under ideal circumstances.

Question 5

Which of these questions is best answered by an intervention's effectiveness?

Accepted Answer

The effectiveness of an intervention refers to whether or not it works in real-world settings, which includes communities within a jurisdiction. Ideal circumstances are not always attainable, so the focus of interventions should be on their effectiveness in real-world situations. The question of why the intervention works is related to its theory or mechanism of action, while cost-effectiveness is a separate concern.

Question 6

A program connotes a structured effort to provide a set of services or interventions that have common objectives.

Accepted Answer

A program is typically a structured and organized effort to achieve a specific set of goals or objectives through a series of services or interventions. It usually involves a defined set of activities, resources, and timelines, and often has a specific target population or audience that it aims to reach or benefit.

Question 7

When reviewing the quality of scientific evidence to assess the effectiveness of preventive services for specific interventions, reviewers give more weight to expert clinical opinion than results from randomized controlled trials.

Accepted Answer

Reviewers give more weight to results from randomized controlled trials than expert clinical opinion when assessing the effectiveness of preventive services for specific interventions.

Question 8

The best time to develop evaluation strategies is:

Accepted Answer

The best time to develop evaluation strategies is before programs are implemented. This allows for clear goals and objectives to be established, as well as baseline data to be collected. It also ensures that evaluation activities are integrated into program planning and implementation from the beginning, leading to more effective and efficient evaluation. Waiting until the implementation phase or end of the program may result in missed opportunities for data collection and evaluation, or may lead to a lack of clarity regarding the program's intended outcomes. Starting at least 6 months before the program is completed may also be too late for meaningful evaluation.

Question 9

Family planning, high blood pressure control, and immunizations are examples of:

Accepted Answer

Family planning, high blood pressure control, and immunizations are all clinical preventive services, which are actions taken to prevent the onset of disease or detect and treat it at an early stage. This is different from health promotion, which focuses on education and behavior change to improve overall health, and community preventive services, which involve broader public health interventions such as policies and environmental changes.

Question 10

Meaningful objectives should have five qualities summarized in the acronym SMART. This acronym includes which of the following? (Choose all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Therefore, time-bound, measurable, and realistic are included in the qualities of meaningful objectives. Seriousness, however, is not a necessary quality for objectives to be considered SMART.

Question 11

In program evaluation, doing things right refers to the performance of activities and the achievement of process objectives.

Accepted Answer

Doing things right in program evaluation means ensuring that the process objectives are met and the activities are performed correctly. This ensures that the evaluation is comprehensive, accurate, and reliable.

Question 12

Planning and evaluation constitute a linear, sequential process that should not be viewed as cyclical and interdependent.

Accepted Answer

Planning and evaluation should be viewed as cyclical and interdependent, as the evaluation process can inform the planning process and lead to continuous improvement. The cycle of planning, implementation, and evaluation should be iterative and ongoing.

Question 13

An evidence-based public health program is one that is based on scientific evidence of efficacy.

Accepted Answer

An evidence-based public health program is one that is based on scientific evidence of efficacy. This means that the program has been tested and evaluated through research studies and has been found to be effective in achieving its intended outcomes. Evidence-based programs are an important part of public health efforts to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities in populations.

Question 14

An evidence-based approach to public health includes which of the following steps? (Choose all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

An evidence-based approach to public health involves assessing the community affected, quantifying the issue, and developing a concise problem statement. Then identifying possible interventions or services that have been shown to address the issue in other settings. And developing program options, assessing their feasibility, and the potential benefits for the issue. It does not involve implementing interventions and services based on political expediency, which is not evidence-based.

Question 15

The Community Preventive Services Task Force has made recommendations regarding which of the following topics? (Choose all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

The Community Preventive Services Task Force provides recommendations on a variety of public health topics, including risk reduction interventions for adolescents, lifestyle interventions for persons with diabetes, and preventing motor vehicle injuries. HIV screening recommendations are typically made by other organizations, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Question 16

The US Preventive Services Task Force has made recommendations regarding which of the following interventions? (Choose all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

The US Preventive Services Task Force has made recommendations on aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease, cervical cancer screening, and hepatitis B screening for pregnant women. Diet and physical activity promotion programs are not specifically addressed by the task force, although they may be suggested as part of broader recommendations for preventive care.

Question 17

The effectiveness of a service or intervention depends on individual and sociocultural characteristics of the targeted community, the resources available at the agency implementing the intervention, and political and economic considerations.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true as these factors can influence the success or failure of a service or intervention.

Question 18

The distinctions between evidence-based approaches in medicine and public health generally center on differences in the quality of evidence: Medical studies often rely on cross-sectional and quasi-experimental designs, whereas public health interventions usually rely on randomized trials of individuals with a comparison or control group.

Accepted Answer

Medical studies often rely on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for high-quality evidence, while public health interventions may use a variety of study designs, including cross-sectional and quasi-experimental designs, due to practical and ethical considerations.

Question 19

Short term outcome objectives are those that are directly tied to program activities and can be assessed immediately after delivery of the program or service.

Accepted Answer

Short term outcome objectives are indeed directly tied to program activities and can be assessed immediately after delivery of the program or service.

Question 20

Long-term outcome objectives are those that programs have the most control over.

Accepted Answer

Long-term outcome objectives are typically related to larger societal or environmental changes that a program may contribute to but cannot fully control. Programs have more control over short-term and intermediate outcome objectives.

Quiz 8: Managing Public Health Programs