ATI RN
Introduction to Epidemiology Ray M Merrill Case Study Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
A man is diagnosed with prostate cancer. Which of the following data should the nurse know to answer the man when he asks, “What are the chances I’ll survive this thing?â€
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Case fatality rate. This is the proportion of individuals diagnosed with a specific disease who die from that disease within a specified period. It directly relates to the man's question about survival chances. Attack rate (A) is the proportion of exposed individuals who develop the disease. Cause-specific morbidity rate (C) is the proportion of individuals with a specific disease in a population. Crude mortality rate (D) is the total number of deaths in a population from any cause. Therefore, B is the most relevant data for the man's question about survival chances.
Question 2 of 5
The administration at a local medical center examines the trends in health problems when developing long-range plans for staffing and space allocation. Which of the following sources of information would be most helpful?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: The National Hospital Discharge Survey. This source provides comprehensive data on hospital utilization, including reasons for admission and discharge diagnoses. It offers insights into the specific health problems that require hospitalization, which is crucial for staffing and space allocation planning. A: Local data drawn from a professional survey in the city - While local data can be valuable, it may not provide a comprehensive overview of health problems that require hospitalization. B: The National Health Interview Survey - This survey focuses on health behaviors and access to care, rather than specific health problems that lead to hospitalization. D: The state's vital statistics - While vital statistics provide general health information, they may not offer detailed insights into specific health problems requiring hospitalization.
Question 3 of 5
A principal comments to the school nurse that it seems there are a lot more problems with asthma among the students than there were before the school was remodeled a couple of years ago. The nurse investigates the principal’s observation by reviewing all the school records to determine visits to the health office because of asthma by week and month for the past 5 years. Which of the following best describes the type of study the nurse is conducting?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Ecological study. In this scenario, the nurse is reviewing school records to investigate the relationship between the school remodeling and the increase in asthma cases among students. This type of study looks at group-level data without focusing on individual-level data. 1. An ecological study examines the relationship between exposure (school remodeling) and outcome (increase in asthma cases) at the population or group level. 2. Descriptive epidemiological study (A) focuses on describing the distribution of a disease within a population but does not investigate causal relationships. 3. Prospective cohort study (C) involves following a group of individuals over time to study the development of specific outcomes. This study is not following individuals but rather looking at group-level data. 4. Option D appears to be incomplete and does not relate to the type of study being conducted. Therefore, the nurse is conducting an ecological study by analyzing school records to determine the association between the school remodeling and the increase in asthma cases among students
Question 4 of 5
Which of the following explains why contagious infections are becoming a central focus of public health? (Select all that apply.)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Step 1: Awareness of human susceptibility to animal diseases has been publicized, leading to increased concern about zoonotic infections. Step 2: Zoonotic infections can easily spread from animals to humans, causing contagious outbreaks. Step 3: Public health efforts are focusing on preventing and controlling these infections to protect human health. Summary: A: Fear of bioterrorism is not a primary reason for the focus on contagious infections. C: No information is provided to support this choice. D: Drug-resistant strains of old diseases are a concern, but not the main reason for the current focus on contagious infections.
Question 5 of 5
Which of the following activities best defines epidemiology?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Step 1: Epidemiology focuses on studying patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease in specific populations. Step 2: Recommending a restaurant closure after a norovirus outbreak investigation aligns with identifying the source and preventing further spread in a population. Step 3: This activity involves data collection, analysis, and intervention to control disease transmission. Step 4: Prescribing antibiotics (A) and teaching diabetes classes (B) are more related to individual healthcare, not population-based disease control. Encouraging family dinners (D) is unrelated to epidemiological principles.