Epidemiology: Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Past Exam Paper Questions HSC

Which of the following is the primary reason for government agencies to collect epidemiological data? (A) To determine the healthcare needs of a population (B) To determine the cost of health care in Australia (C) To determine the reasons for inequalities in health status (D) To determine the health status of an individual

(A) To determine the healthcare needs of a population Epidemiology is the study of the determination of incidence and distribution of health-related events in populations. Government agencies collect data and assess the prevalence and incidence of numerous health conditions. They identify the main risk factors and try to understand patterns of diseases. By collecting data, the agencies distribute health resources efficiently.

What is the purpose of epidemiology? (A) To identify causes and patterns of disease in a population (B) To track hospital admission rates and ambulance response times (C) To determine how healthcare budgets are managed by governments (D) To monitor prescription medicines being administered by doctors to their patients

(A) To identify causes and patterns of disease in a population Epidemiology is defined as the study that looks for causes and patterns of diseases in populations. Epidemiologists study outbreaks, how they occur and how to prevent them from happening in the future. Epidemiologists are the ones who plan national prevention programmes for diseases that are preventable such as certain types of cancer. They also greatly contribute to identifying and minimizing health disparities among different groups of people.

What is epidemiology? (A) The design of health promotion initiatives (B) Information about the health of a population (C) A characteristic of the new public health approach (D) A study of the socio-cultural factors influencing health

(B) Information about the health of a population Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and patterns of health and disease in a population. It uses data collected from large samples of the population and analyzes it to identify risk factors for disease and establish effective preventative measures. This includes a variety of different conditions, from infectious diseases to chronic ilnesses.

Which of the following measures is NOT used to determine the health status of the population? (A) Mortality (B) Morbidity (C) Quality of life (D) Life expectancy

(C) Quality of life In order to measure the health status of the population, science needs quantifiable data. In this example, those would be mortality, morbidity, and life expectancy. Quality of life is an important factor in the health of the population. However, it consists of a lot of subjective components such as social relationships and background. There is no way to make them objective nad universal for everyone so the quality of life is not used in the determination of the health status of the population.

Which population group experiences a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease, injury, respiratory diseases and cancer than the general Australian population? (A) Women (B) People with disabilities (C) Australians born overseas (D) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

(D) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Indigenous Australians generally suffer more from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are considered as Indigenous Australians. The reasons for this kind of disparity are multiple. Indigenous Australians often have limited access to health care which negatively impacts their overall health. Next, they tend to have lower incomes and experience higher rates of unemployment. All of these factors result in the poor health of Indigenous Australians.

Which of the following identifies the measures of epidemiology? A. Diversity, life expectancy, morbidity, quality of life B. Infant mortality, life expectancy, morbidity, mortality C. Health status, incidence of disease, morbidity, mortality D. Infant mortality, mortality, prevalence of disease, quality of life

C. Health status, incidence of disease, morbidity, mortality Epidemiology studies patterns of disease. It describes health status, incidence of disease, morbidity and mortality. Health status can be roughly assessed by expecting the overall health of the population and nutritional status. The incidence of disease tells us a number of new cases of a certain disease within a specific time frame. Morbidity describes the overall prevalence of the disease in a specific group of people. Mortality represents a number of deaths within a population.

A limitation of epidemiology as a measure of health status is that it ________. A. is rarely used by health professionals and policymakers. B. only produces information on the mortality of a population. C. does not explain the sociocultural risk factors that contribute to negative health behaviours. D. identifies broad trends only, without reference to accurate data regarding illness and disease.

C. does not explain the sociocultural risk factors that contribute to negative health behaviours. Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and patterns of health and disease in a population. While it provides some useful insight regarding certain major risk factors for disease such as age and sex, it doesn't explain the socioeconomic risk factors that contribute to negative health behaviors. It focuses more on the quantitative, rather than qualitative aspects of health and disease.

How is epidemiology used to improve the health of Australians? Provide examples.

Epidemiology studies the health of the population from a statistical point of view. It researches what diseases are the most common, how the infectious diseases spread and how to prevent them. Epidemiology also identifies risk factors and if they are preventable warns about them through campaigns. A great example is a campaign for the prevention of breast cancer where self-check and regular ultrasound or mammography can warn about early signs of disease. Finally, epidemiology warned about the dangers of smoking which resulted in Australia's tobacco law that significantly reduced smoking in the population.