Epidemiology & Disease Occurrence
A nurse is analyzing an outbreak of foodborne illness in a community. Which epidemiological term refers to the number of new cases within a specific period?
A) Prevalence
B) Incidence
C) Mortality rate
D) Endemic rate
B) Incidence
A nurse is conducting surveillance on an increase in West Nile virus cases. What is the most likely mode of transmission?
A) Airborne
B) Droplet
C) Vector-borne
D) Direct contact
C) Vector-borne
A public health nurse is investigating a recent outbreak of tuberculosis in a homeless shelter. What is the nurse's priority action?
A) Provide prophylactic antibiotics to all residents
B) Isolate those who test positive and initiate treatment
C) Close the shelter to prevent further exposure
D) Educate residents on proper hand hygiene
B) Isolate those who test positive and initiate treatment
The nurse is assessing a community for social determinants of health. Which factor is most significant in predicting health outcomes?
A) Availability of healthcare facilities
B) Number of grocery stores
C) Average educational level
D) Unemployment rate
C) Average educational level
What is an example of tertiary prevention in epidemiology?
A) Educating on condom use to prevent STDs
B) Early screening for breast cancer
C) Providing rehabilitation for stroke survivors
D) Encouraging smoking cessation
C) Providing rehabilitation for stroke survivors
A school nurse is developing a health promotion program on reducing childhood obesity. Which strategy is most effective?
A) Implementing BMI screenings
B) Teaching parents about meal planning
C) Encouraging daily physical activity
D) Educating students on food labels
C) Encouraging daily physical activity
During a measles outbreak, a nurse performs contact tracing. Which level of prevention is this?
A) Primary prevention
B) Secondary prevention
C) Tertiary prevention
D) Health promotion
B) Secondary prevention
A nurse is studying an outbreak of E. coli infections traced to a local restaurant. Which step of the epidemiological process is the nurse performing?
A) Defining the problem
B) Identifying the source
C) Implementing prevention strategies
D) Evaluating interventions
B) Identifying the source
A nurse notices an increase in asthma cases in a low-income neighborhood. Which factor is likely contributing?
A) Genetic predisposition
B) Air pollution exposure
C) Lack of access to healthcare
D) Smoking prevalence
B) Air pollution exposure
What is the primary goal of disaster epidemiology in community health nursing?
A) Assess the effectiveness of emergency response plans
B) Identify the health impact of disasters on the population
C) Provide treatment for disaster-related injuries
D) Train healthcare providers on disaster preparedness
B) Identify the health impact of disasters on the population
In an epidemiological study, what term describes the number of people who die from a specific disease within a given period?
A) Incidence rate
B) Prevalence rate
C) Mortality rate
D) Morbidity rate
C) Mortality rate
Which statement by a nurse demonstrates an understanding of herd immunity?
A) "Only vaccinated individuals can develop immunity."
B) "If enough people are vaccinated, the spread of disease decreases."
C) "Vaccination is only beneficial for high-risk populations."
D) "Herd immunity applies only to bacterial infections."
B) "If enough people are vaccinated, the spread of disease decreases."
A nurse is analyzing data from a flu outbreak in a school. What measure is most useful in determining the severity of the outbreak?
A) Mortality rate
B) Attack rate
C) Incidence rate
D) Prevalence rate
B) Attack rate
Which statement by a nurse demonstrates an understanding of endemic diseases?
A) "This disease occurs suddenly in large numbers and spreads quickly."
B) "A few cases of this disease are expected each year in this region."
C) "This disease has been eradicated worldwide."
D) "This disease affects only one population and cannot spread elsewhere."
B) "A few cases of this disease are expected each year in this region."
Which of the following diseases is considered an example of an eradicated disease?
A) Tuberculosis
B) Smallpox
C) Malaria
D) Polio
B) Smallpox
In epidemiology, which term describes the number of people in a population who have a specific disease at a given time?
A) Incidence
B) Prevalence
C) Mortality
D) Attack rate
B) Prevalence
A nurse is assessing trends in diabetes prevalence over the past 10 years. What type of epidemiological study is being conducted?
A) Cross-sectional study
B) Cohort study
C) Time-series study
D) Experimental study
C) Time-series study
The nurse is tracking a community-wide E. coli outbreak linked to a local fast-food chain. What is the priority nursing action?
A) Close all restaurants in the area
B) Encourage affected individuals to self-quarantine
C) Report the outbreak to public health authorities
D) Provide antibiotics to all residents
C) Report the outbreak to public health authorities
A nurse is assessing a city for factors contributing to increased asthma cases. Which environmental factor is most likely a major contributor?
A) High levels of carbon monoxide from traffic pollution
B) Increased local vegetable farming
C) Decreased smoking rates
D) Increased flu vaccination rates
A) High levels of carbon monoxide from traffic pollution
The term "pandemic" refers to what type of disease occurrence?
A) A disease affecting a small rural community
B) A disease affecting only one continent
C) A disease affecting multiple countries and continents
D) A disease that occurs annually in specific populations
C) A disease affecting multiple countries and continents
What is an example of a reservoir in the chain of infection?
A) A contaminated doorknob
B) A human carrying a disease
C) An airborne virus
D) A healthcare worker wearing gloves
B) A human carrying a disease
A nurse is tracking a rise in Lyme disease cases in a suburban area. What is the primary mode of transmission?
A) Airborne
B) Mosquito bites
C) Tick bites
D) Contaminated water
C) Tick bites
What is the best way to reduce the spread of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs)?
A) Encourage patient isolation for all infections
B) Increase antibiotic use in hospital settings
C) Enforce strict hand hygiene among healthcare workers
D) Limit visitation hours
C) Enforce strict hand hygiene among healthcare workers
A nurse is monitoring trends in childhood lead poisoning in an urban area. What is the most likely source of exposure?
A) Contaminated food
B) Poorly ventilated apartments
C) Lead-based paint in old housing
D) Exposure to secondhand smoke
: C) Lead-based paint in old housing
A nurse working in disaster response is evaluating the long-term health impact of exposure to contaminated water after a hurricane. Which epidemiological concept is being applied?
A) Incidence
B) Prevalence
C) Risk assessment
D) Contact tracing
C) Risk assessment