Public Health 101
Two communities have the same population. Community A has twice as many cases of diabetes as Community B. Before concluding that people in Community A are less healthy, what are 2 other factors public health researchers should consider?
Age, Access to healthcare, Income, Diet and physical activity, Genetics
Which vital sign measures the force of blood against artery walls?
blood pressure
Several students become sick after attending the same barbecue. What information would investigators want to collect first?
Who became sick, what they ate, when symptoms started, and who attended.
If you feel healthy, you can't spread an infectious disease.
False
What does CPR stand for?
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Why might two people with the same medical condition have different health outcomes even if they receive the same treatment?
Social determinants of health
A patient twists their ankle during basketball. Before deciding it's broken, what imaging test would a healthcare provider most likely order?
Xray
What is one reason an outbreak can be difficult to investigate?
People may forget what they ate or where they went.
If you swallow gum, it stays in your gut for 7 years
False
If someone may have a concussion, what should they avoid until cleared by a healthcare provider?
Returning to sports or strenuous activity.
Why is it important to compare disease rates instead of just the total number of cases when looking at different cities?
Because cities have different population sizes. Rates allow fair comparisons.
A patient says they stopped taking antibiotics because they felt better after two days. Why is this a concern?
The infection may not be fully treated, and it can contribute to antibiotic resistance.
An outbreak occurs in multiple schools across a city. Which organization would most likely coordinate the investigation at the local level?
Local public health department
Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.
False, it can cause swelling in long term, but no evidence for causing arthritis
What is an AED, and what is it used for?
An Automated External Defibrillator used to help restart the heart during sudden cardiac arrest.
A hospital treats one patient with food poisoning. A public health department investigates 50 people who became sick from the same restaurant. What is the key difference between clinical medicine and public health?
Clinical medicine focuses on treating individual patients, while public health focuses on preventing disease and protecting the health of populations.
A patient arrives with chest pain, shortness of breath, and pain spreading down their left arm. What medical emergency might healthcare providers suspect?
Heart attack
Public health focuses on preventing disease before it happens. What is one example of primary prevention?
Vaccination, wearing sunscreen, exercising, eating a healthy diet, or not smoking.
A fever is always dangerous and should immediately be lowered.
Fever is often a normal immune response that helps fight infection. Extremely high or concerning fevers should be evaluated.
What are the 3 first steps to approaching a patient?
1. Vitals
2. History
3. Physical exam
Researchers discover that people who exercise regularly are less likely to develop heart disease. Does this prove exercise alone prevents heart disease? Why or why not?
No, this only shows an association; not causation
A patient arrives with:
Which body system needs immediate attention?
respiratory
A disease spreads through close contact. List 2 interventions that could reduce transmission without using medication?
Isolation of sick individuals, hand hygiene, masking (when appropriate), improving ventilation, or contact tracing.
Antibiotics are used to treat the common cold
False, common colds are usually caused by Viruses
You are the first person to arrive at a car accident. A person is lying on the ground and is not responding. You notice they are not breathing normally. What are the first three actions you should take?