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NMCN Professional Exam Epidemiology and Outbreak Investigation — practice questions

Explore 17 free Epidemiology and Outbreak Investigation questions in NMCN Professional Exam Public Health. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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Epidemiology and Outbreak Investigation questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–17 of 17.

In the Greek roots that give epidemiology its name, what does the element demos stand for?Read the answer and worked solution →What distinguishes an analytic epidemiologic study from a purely descriptive one?Read the answer and worked solution →The epidemiologic triad models infectious disease as the interaction of which three elements?Read the answer and worked solution →Among clinically apparent cases of an infection, the proportion that are severe or fatal is measured by which term?Read the answer and worked solution →Which description fits a carrier of an infectious agent?Read the answer and worked solution →What is the reservoir of an infectious agent?Read the answer and worked solution →Which term names an infectious disease transmissible under natural conditions from vertebrate animals to humans?Read the answer and worked solution →Agents of gastroenteritis leave in feces, are carried on poorly washed hands to food or water, and enter a new host through the mouth. What is this route called?Read the answer and worked solution →The constant presence or usual prevalence of a disease in a population within a geographic area is described by which term?Read the answer and worked solution →An epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents and affects large numbers of people is called what?Read the answer and worked solution →In a line listing kept during an outbreak investigation, what does each column represent?Read the answer and worked solution →After control measures have begun, active surveillance is continued mainly to answer which question?Read the answer and worked solution →Communicating the findings of a completed outbreak investigation usually takes which two forms?Read the answer and worked solution →Order the outbreak investigation stepsRead the answer and worked solution →Direct or indirect transmission?Read the answer and worked solution →Claim the squares as the clues landRead the answer and worked solution →Catch the reasons to investigateRead the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

In the Greek roots that give epidemiology its name, what does the element demos stand for?

  1. On or upon a place
  2. A population of people
  3. The study of a subject
  4. A cause of illness
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Correct answer: B. A population of people

1. The word splits into three Greek parts: epi, demos and logos. 2. Epi means on or upon, and logos means the study of. 3. Demos means people, so the whole word describes the study of what befalls a population. 4. A cause of illness matches no part of the word, since causes are called determinants. _Source: CDC Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health Practice, 3rd Edition, section Definition of Epidemiology_

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What distinguishes an analytic epidemiologic study from a purely descriptive one?

  1. It uses a valid comparison group
  2. It uses a much larger sample of people
  3. It reports rates instead of raw counts
  4. It always requires a laboratory test
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Correct answer: A. It uses a valid comparison group

1. Descriptive epidemiology characterises cases by time, place and person, and generates hypotheses. 2. Testing those hypotheses needs something to compare the cases against. 3. The hallmark of an analytic study is therefore a valid comparison group, such as people who did not fall ill. 4. Sample size, the use of rates and laboratory testing all appear in descriptive work too, so none of them marks the difference. _Source: CDC Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health Practice, 3rd Edition, section Analytic Studies_

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The epidemiologic triad models infectious disease as the interaction of which three elements?

  1. Reservoir, vehicle and vector
  2. Incidence, prevalence and rate
  3. Agent, host and environment
  4. Exposure, outcome and control
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Correct answer: C. Agent, host and environment

1. The triad is the traditional model of causation for infectious disease. 2. Its three corners are an external agent, a susceptible host, and an environment that brings the two together. 3. Reservoir, vehicle and vector belong to the chain of infection rather than the triad. 4. Incidence and prevalence are measures of disease frequency, not causal components. _Source: CDC Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health Practice, 3rd Edition, section Causation_

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