Question 1

The different levels of analysis discussed in your textbook in reference to health refer to ________ levels.
A) individual, community, and population
B) social, contextual, and biological
C) distal, intermediate, and proximal
D) local, international, and global

Accepted Answer

The different levels of analysis in reference to health often include distal, intermediate, and proximal levels, which help in understanding the various factors affecting health from the most immediate and direct (proximal) to those that are more indirect and far-reaching (distal).

Question 2

Regular vigorous exercise if an example of a ________.
A) distal, micro level factor
B) meso, macro level factor
C) meso, micro level factor
D) proximal, individual-level factor

Accepted Answer

Regular vigorous exercise is an example of a proximal, individual-level factor because it is directly related to the individual's personal behavior and lifestyle choices.

Question 3

Age is not a powerful or precise predictor of health because ________.
A) there are substantial variations at all ages in the health, resilience, and susceptibility of people
B) there is very little variability in the potential for healthy living, especially in older age groups
C) health and life expectancy at difference ages in different populations are very similar
D) the principal determinants of health and life expectancy are genetic

Accepted Answer

Age alone does not determine an individual's health outcomes as there can be substantial differences in health, resilience, and susceptibility among individuals of the same age. Other factors such as lifestyle choices, access to healthcare, and genetics can also heavily influence an individual's health outcomes.

Question 4

The concept "gender" is ________.
A) synonymous with "sex"
B) the interplay of social and biologic factors
C) mostly about physiology
D) mostly about behaviour

Accepted Answer

Gender is not synonymous with sex, which refers to biological characteristics such as reproductive organs and hormones. Instead, gender is a complex interplay of social and biological factors that shape the way individuals perceive and express themselves. While physiology and behavior are part of it, they are not the only or most important components.

Question 5

The following statement regarding sex is TRUE: ________.
A) Sex is a relatively poor predictor of health outcomes
B) Sex is only a good predictor of health when its influence is totally separated from gender differences
C) Gender is only a good predictor of health when its influence is totally separated from sex differences
D) There are no important sex or gender differences in health

Accepted Answer

While sex can impact health outcomes, it is not always a strong predictor and there are a multitude of other factors that can play a role. Additionally, it is often difficult to separate the influences of sex and gender, as they are interconnected. Thus, option A is the most accurate and comprehensive statement.

Question 6

The findings from the field of epigenetics suggest that ________.
A) environmental factors have little impact on the expression of genes influencing our health
B) genes do not determine our health status which can be completely explained by environmental factors
C) genes react to environmental factors and neither our genes nor the environment decisively determines who we are and how healthy we will be
D) most diseases have underlying genetic causes

Accepted Answer

The findings from the field of epigenetics suggest that genes react to environmental factors and neither our genes nor the environment decisively determines who we are and how healthy we will be. This means that both genetics and environmental factors play a role in our health status, and that our genes do not determine our health status completely.

Question 7

The study of the social patterning of behaviour suggests that our behaviour ________.
A) is the best predictor of our health
B) is shaped by our social context and people with whom we interact
C) is a better predictor of health than our genetic makeup
D) is influenced by our genes

Accepted Answer

The social patterning of behavior suggests that our behavior is shaped by our social context and the people with whom we interact. This means that our behavior is influenced by the social norms, values, and expectations of the groups to which we belong, and by the individuals who serve as role models or sources of influence in our lives.

Question 8

The Multiple Risk Factors Intervention Trial conducted in the United States (1982) found that ________.
A) the risk factors the trial focused on account collectively for the majority of heart attacks
B) the easiest way to improve population health is to ensure that people eat healthy diets and have an adequate level of exercise
C) it is extremely difficult to change people's habits, at least in a lasting way
D) risk factors are best understood individually and not as a complex assemblage of variables

Accepted Answer

The Multiple Risk Factors Intervention Trial highlighted the challenge in achieving lasting changes in people's health-related behaviors, such as diet and exercise habits, underscoring the difficulty of modifying lifestyle factors even with concerted intervention efforts.

Question 9

In epidemiology, a secular change ________.
A) is a transition from highly religious society to a secular one
B) is a social and cultural change toward greater materialism and individualism
C) is a change in the behaviour of a population that occurs rapidly for no apparent reason
D) occurs when a change in behaviour happens in response to broader changes in society

Accepted Answer

A secular change in epidemiology refers to a long-term trend or pattern in a population's health status or disease prevalence that is related to broader societal changes, such as improvements in sanitation, healthcare, nutrition, or living conditions. It is not related to religious or cultural changes, nor does it occur rapidly without explanation.

Question 10

John Snow's contribution to the study of population health was ________.
A) the concept of miasma
B) the development of the germ theory
C) founding modern epidemiology
D) the theory of social facts

Accepted Answer

John Snow is considered one of the fathers of modern epidemiology because of his work in identifying the source of a cholera outbreak in London in the 1850s, which helped to shift the focus from miasma theory to the understanding of how diseases can spread through contaminated water.

Question 11

Friedrich Engels's 1844 data on the working people of Manchester showed that the ________.
A) death rates of rich people in newly industrialized urban centres were much higher than the death rates of poor people in rural settings
B) death rates of poor people in rural settings were much higher than the death rates of poor people in newly industrialized urban centres
C) death rates of rich people in rural settings were much higher than the death rates of rich people in urban settings
D) death rates of poor people in newly industrialized urban centres were much higher than the death rates of poor people in non-industrialized urban centres

Accepted Answer

Friedrich Engels's 1844 data on the working people of Manchester highlighted the poor living and working conditions of the working class in newly industrialized urban centers, showing that the death rates of poor people in these areas were significantly higher compared to those in non-industrialized urban centers. This was due to factors like overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and the hazards of factory work.

Question 12

________ developed the concept of "social facts."
A) Friedrich Engels
B) Rudolf Virchow
C) Émile Durkheim
D) Thomas McKeown

Accepted Answer

Émile Durkheim developed the concept of "social facts," which are collective phenomena that exist independently of individual actors and exert a strong influence over them.

Question 13

The text identifies ________ as the two modern figures that are closely associated with the revival of a population-health perspective.
A) Gerry Rodgers and George Kaplan
B) Thomas McKeown and Geoffrey Rose
C) Émile Durkheim and Friedrich Engels
D) Rudolf Virchow and John Snow

Accepted Answer

The text mentions Thomas McKeown and Geoffrey Rose as the two modern figures closely associated with the revival of a population-health perspective.

Question 14

The works of McKeown showed that ________.
A) the main driver of decline in mortality from the most common infectious diseases in the beginning of the twentieth century in Europe is improved health care
B) the main driver of decline in mortality from the most common infectious diseases in the beginning of the twentieth century in Europe is changing social conditions
C) the demographic transition is not an accurate predictor of population change
D) immunization is a driving force for reduction in mortality rates from measles and scurvy

Accepted Answer

McKeown's works showed that changing social conditions, such as improved living standards, nutrition, sanitation, and education, were the main drivers of the decline in mortality from infectious diseases in Europe in the beginning of the twentieth century. Health care and immunization played a minor role in comparison. Furthermore, McKeown questioned the role of medicine in the overall improvement of population health and challenged the demographic transition theory as an accurate predictor of population change.

Question 15

The first phase in the demographic transition is characterized by ________.
A) low fertility rates, low mortality, rates and high population growth
B) low fertility rates, low mortality rates, and low population growth
C) high fertility rates, high mortality rates, and near-zero population growth
D) high fertility rates, low mortality rates, and high population growth

Accepted Answer

The first phase of the demographic transition model is characterized by high fertility rates and high mortality rates, which result in near-zero population growth. This is because the high number of births is roughly balanced by the high number of deaths.

Question 16

The epidemiologic transition refers to ________.
A) the change from a population predominately suffering from infectious and parasitic diseases to increased prevalence of chronic conditions in a population
B) the transition in chronic disease prevalence from poor people suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes to rich people
C) the stage of low economic development characterized by high-birth and high-death rates
D) the stage characterized by high-birth rates to a stage of relatively advanced economic development characterized by declining birth rates

Accepted Answer

The epidemiologic transition refers to the shift in disease patterns from infectious and parasitic diseases to chronic conditions in a population as a result of socioeconomic development.

Question 17

Crude death rates are calculated by ________.
A) comparing the average life span of individuals
B) computing life expectancy and mortality rates
C) counting the total deaths in a population within a given period of time, usually a year
D) calculating years of life lost before age 70

Accepted Answer

Crude death rates are calculated by counting the total deaths in a population within a given period of time, usually a year. They do not take into consideration the age, sex, or any other demographic factors of the population.

Question 18

The following statement regarding prevalence is TRUE: ________.
A) Prevalence is equivalent to the rate of disease in a population
B) Prevalence is calculated by considering the likelyhood of members of a population being exposed to a known risk
C) Prevalence does not tell us anything about probability of risk of contracting the disease
D) Prevalence and incidence are two identical measures

Accepted Answer

Prevalence refers to the total number of cases of a disease in a population at a specific time, divided by the population at risk at that time. It provides a snapshot of the disease's burden in the population but does not directly inform about the risk of contracting the disease, as it includes both new and existing cases.

Question 19

A recent high-quality study of reported differences among-and between-Canadians and Americans shows that health inequalities are mostly attributable to ________.
A) differences in smoking habits
B) levels of physical activity
C) obesity and excessive weight differences
D) education and household income

Accepted Answer

The study found that education and household income were the main factors contributing to health inequalities between Canadians and Americans.

Question 20

Incidence is ________.
A) a count of the number of cases of disease in a population over the past five years
B) a number of new cases of disease that arise in a given population over a specific period of time
C) a departure from a normal state, such as illness or disability
D) a simple count of the number of cases in a population at a point in time

Accepted Answer

Incidence refers to the number of new cases of disease that arise in a given population over a specific period of time. Options A, C, and D are incorrect as they do not accurately define incidence.

Quiz 2: Thinking About Individual and Population Health

The different levels of analysis discussed in your textbook in reference to health refer to ________ levels.

Regular vigorous exercise if an example of a ________.

Age is not a powerful or precise predictor of health because ________.

The concept "gender" is ________.

The following statement regarding sex is TRUE: ________.

The findings from the field of epigenetics suggest that ________.

The study of the social patterning of behaviour suggests that our behaviour ________.

The Multiple Risk Factors Intervention Trial conducted in the United States (1982) found that ________.

In epidemiology, a secular change ________.

John Snow's contribution to the study of population health was ________.

Friedrich Engels's 1844 data on the working people of Manchester showed that the ________.

________ developed the concept of "social facts."

The text identifies ________ as the two modern figures that are closely associated with the revival of a population-health perspective.

The works of McKeown showed that ________.

The first phase in the demographic transition is characterized by ________.

The epidemiologic transition refers to ________.

Crude death rates are calculated by ________.

The following statement regarding prevalence is TRUE: ________.

A recent high-quality study of reported differences among-and between-Canadians and Americans shows that health inequalities are mostly attributable to ________.

Incidence is ________.