Public Health 150 October 26, 2011
MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Select the best answer from the multiple choice questions. There are 85 questions and
12 pages on the examination. Notify the instructor if your examination does not have 12
pages. Clearly indicate on the scan form the one best answer to each question among
the answers provided. Be sure that you have selected your choice correctly on the
scan form. Be sure that you have entered your name and identification number
on the scan form and filled out the bubbles in the columns for the letters of your
name and numbers of your identification number correctly (see front and back).
Use a #2 pencil and fill all circles completely.
1. The goal of public health is to guarantee that all members of society achieve optimal
health.
a. True
b. False
2. The major reason(s) for the increase in longevity globally has been:
a. Improved treatment of diabetes
b. Adoption of more health lifestyles
c. Improved sanitation
d. Increasing provision of clean water
e. c. and d. above
3. According to Professor Detels, the major cause of ill health globally is:
a. Smoking
b. Obesity
c. Poverty
d. Sedentary lifestyles
e. Malnutrition
4. The major contributing factor associated with death in children under five years of
age globally is:
a. Pneumonia
b. Measles
c. Prematurity
d. Under-nutrition
e. Injuries
5. The United States has led the world in increasing the average life span
a. True
b. False
6. The highest proportion of premature deaths in the United States is due to:
a. Genetic predisposition
b. Social circumstances
c. Environmental exposures
d. Problems with health care
e. Behavioral patterns
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7. The leading cause of death in the United States is:
a. Heart diseases
b. Cancer
c. Diabetes
d. Motor vehicle accidents
e. HIV
8. The prevalence of obese residents among those over 17 years old in the U.S. is
lowest in which of the following states?
a. Utah
b. California
c. Oregon
d. Colorado
e. Mississippi
9. Which is the most prevalent behavioral cause of death in the United States?
a. Diet/activity patterns
b. Tobacco
c. Alcohol
d. Use of recreational drugs
10. The best measure of compromised function due to conditions causing ill health is:
a. Mortality
b. Morbidity
c. Disability-adjusted life years
d. Life span
11. Which of these is not a direct adverse health impact resulting from poor community
design?
a. Air pollution
b. Diminished physical activity
c. Increased incidences of obesity and chronic diseases
d. Sexually transmitted diseases
12. Health is a state of equilibrium between which of the following?
a. Agent-host-environment
b. Time-place-person
c. Agent-place-person
d. Agent-time-place
e. Host-environment-time
13. Prevalence is:
a. A proportion
b. A rate
c. An index of health
d. All of the above
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14. For measuring prevalence, the numerator is
a. Number of cases existing in a given population at a single point in time
b. Number of new cases occurring in a given population in a specified time
period
c. Number of deaths due to a particular cause in a given population in a
specified time period
d. None of the above
15. Epidemiology is useful for:
a. Diagnosing disease in a patient
b. Describing the clinical characteristics of diseases
c. Identify precursors and risk factors for disease
d. Assessing the cost-effectiveness of interventions
e. b. and c. above
16. Epidemiology is the core science of public health:
a. True
b. False
17. Evidence supporting direct transmission of Capilleria philippinensis in northern
Luzon includes all of the following EXCEPT:
a. Age-distribution of secondary cases
b. Effect of treatment on the spread of infection
c. Sequential cases in households
d. Proximity of the cases to the sea
18. Epidemiologists use which characteristics to describe disease occurrence in
populations?
a. Agent-host-environment
b. Time-place-person
c. Agent-place-person
d. Agent-time-place
e. Host-environment-time
19. Quality of health care and coverage is commensurate with national expenditures
globally:
a. True
b. False
20. The highest proportion of health dollars in the U.S. is spent on:
a. Hospital care
b. Physician services
c. Prescription drugs
d. Nursing home care
e. Administration
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21. The highest proportion of hospital care in the U.S. is paid by:
a. Medicare
b. Medicaid
c. Private health insurance
d. Out of pocket (patient pays)
e. Social security
22. The major burden of personal health care costs in the U.S. is borne by:
a. Patients’ out of pocket expenditures
a. Medicare
c. Private health insurance
d. Medicaid
23. The largest proportion of health care insurance in the United States is paid for by:
a. The public
b. Employers
c. Employees
d. The government
24. Half of Medicare costs are paid for the last six months of life:
a. True
b. False
25. Hospitals in the U.S. are primarily dependent on what source(s) of money to
survive?
a. Private health insurance
b. Medicare
c. Out of pocket payments by patients
d. All of the above
e. a. and b. above
26. In England the government provides health care directly:
a. True
b. False
27. In terms of quality of national health care globally, the United States ranks:
a. First
b. Third
c. Tenth
d. Fourteenth
e. Thirtieth
28. According to the IOM report in 1988, the three major functions of public health are:
a. Epidemiology, prevention, environmental health
b. Epidemic control, health promotion, surveillance
c. Assessment, policy setting and assurance
d. Disease control, health promotion, safeguarding the environment
e. Monitoring health care, preventing epidemics, and protecting the environment
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29. The “public health system” includes:
a. Employers
b. The community
c. The media
d. All of the above
e. a. and b. above
30. Evaluation cuts across all the functions of public health:
a. True
b. False
31. Biostatistics is a strategy to account for variation in human biologic and responses:
a. True
b. False
32. Biostatistics can be used to:
a. Prove the relationship of two health factors to each other
b. Determine the probability of events
c. Prove hypotheses
d. All of the above
e. b. and c. above
33. The usual probability for rejecting the null hypothesis is:
a. 0.33
b. 0.20
c. 0.05
d. 0.001
e. 0.0005
34. The optimal statistical strategy for measuring a relationship of a particular predictor
variable and an outcome when other factors may be related to the predicator
variable is:
a. Chi square
b. Linear regression
c. Multiple regression analysis
d. Correlation analysis
e. Any of the above
35. Microarrays are a useful strategy for measuring:
a. The relationship of microbes to one another
b. The relationship of bacteria to disease
c. The relationship of gene expression to probability of disease
d. All of the above
36. The probability of transmission of an infectious agent is associated with:
a. The environment
b. Social factors
c. Genetic and biologic factors
d. All of the above
e. a. and b. above
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37. The leading infectious disease killers of children under five years of age globally are:
a. Acute respiratory diseases and diarrhea
b. HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis
c. Measles and mumps
d. Malaria and tuberculosis
e. Diarrhea and malaria
38. Dysentery is caused by:
a. Staphlococci
b. Shigella
c. Salmonella
d. Klebsiella
e. None of the above
39. UC Berkeley is experiencing an epidemic of:
a. Measles
b. Mumps
c. Polio
d. Syphilis
e. Chicken pox
40. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in LA County is increasing each year:
a. True
b. False
41. Influenza is characterized by its surface glycoproteins:
a. True
b. False
42. Which of the following types of influenza cause outbreaks of human disease?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. All of the above
e. a. and b. above
43. Influenza incidence peaks in:
a. January-February
b. April-May
c. June-July
d. September-October
e. Constant rate throughout the year
44. Which of the following causes the largest change in the antigenic structure of the
influenza virus?
a. Antigenic drift
b. Antigenic shift
c. Antigenic collapse
d. Antigenic enhancement
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45. Natural hosts of influenza virus include all of the following EXCEPT:
a. Birds
b. Ducks
c. Dogs
d. Pigs
e. Horses
46. During influenza epidemics, most deaths occur in:
a. 0-4-year-olds
b. 18-25-year-olds
c. 35-48-year-olds
d. 65+ years old
e. a. and d. above
47. The 1917 influenza epidemic was caused by which of the following strains of virus?
a. H1N1
b. H5N1
c. H5N3
d. H3N1
e. H1N3
48. The magnitude of disease burden can be measured by:
a. Morbidity/disability of the disease
b. Mortality of the disease
c. Economic cost from the disease
d. Prevalence
e. All of the above
49. The highest proportion of Angelenos are:
a. White
b. Hispanic-American
c. Asian-American
d. African-American
e. Sri-Lankan-American
50. The leading cause of death in Los Angeles County is:
a. Heart disease
b. All cancers
c. Diabetes
d. HIV/AIDS
e. Pertussis
51. The leading cause of pre-mature death among Latinos in Los Angeles is:
a. Diabetes
b. Homicide
c. Coronary heart disease
d. Chronic respiratory diseases
e. Cholera
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52. The leading cause of disability-adjust life years (DALYS) in Los Angeles County is:
a. Coronary heart disease
b. Violence
c. All cancers
d. Homicide
e. Substance abuse
53. Globally, the highest numbers of disability-adjusted life years (DALY) are lost due to
which infectious diseases?
a. Diarrhea
b. HIV/AIDS
c. Malaria
d. Lower respiratory tract infections
54. The discovery of penicillin was the major factor responsible for the rapid decline of
infectious diseases in the 20th century:
a. True
b. False
55. The majority of TB cases in Los Angeles Country occur among:
a. Asian and Hispanic immigrants
b. Asian and African immigrants
c. Hispanic and African immigrants
d. American-born Asians
e. American-born Hispanics
56. The current syphilis outbreak in Los Angeles is primarily occurring among:
a. Male sex workers
b. Female sex workers
c. Desperate housewives
d. Men who have sex with men
e. Politicians
57. Which of the following was among the top five causes of death in the United States
in 2007?
a. Unintentional injuries
b. Diabetes
c. Homicide
d. Automobile accidents
e. Sexually transmitted diseases
58. From 1999 to 2008 there was a decline in all the leading causes of death in Los
Angeles County EXCEPT:
a. Coronary heart disease
b. Alzheimer’s disease
c. Cancers
d. Diabetes
e. Emphysema
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59. The percent of women who smoke declined in Los Angeles County from 2002 to
2007:
a. True
b. False
60. The prevalence of obesity in Los Angeles County is highest in:
a. Malibu
b. South Central
c. The westside
d. San Fernando
e. Long Beach
61. The most common recreational drug used in Los Angeles County is:
a. Cocaine
b. Methamphetamine
c. Heroin
d. Marijuana
e. Peptobismal
62. Policies implemented by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health:
a. Reduce the burden of disease
b. Reduce risk factors for disease
c. Focus on the underlying determinants of health
d. All of the above
e. b. and c. above
63. Life expectancy in Los Angeles County correlates directly with median household
income:
a. True
b. False
64. In Professor Jonathan Fieldings’ opinion, the biggest problem for the future of global
public health is:
a. Smoking
b. Poor sanitation
c. Lack of support for vital research
d. Population growth exhausting food and water supplies etc.
e. The rise of the Republican Party
65. Globally, the highest rates of illiteracy are found in which of the following countries?
a. Bangladesh
b. China
c. Egypt
d. All of the above
e. a.. and c. above
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66. One-third of the world’s population is found in:
a. China and Indonesia
b. China and Russia
c. China and the United States
d. China and India
e. India and Indonesia
67. The world’s population is:
a. 1.1 billion people
b. 3.1 billion people
c. 6.9 billion people
d. 15.4 billion people
e. Unknown
68. The world’s birth rates and death rates are finally equal as a result of the intensive
population control efforts in the latter half of the 20th century:
a. True
b. False
69. Globally the most common language spoken as a first language is:
a. English
b. Spanish
c. Chinese
d. Hindi
e. Portuguese
70. The highest proportion of persons under 15 years of age is found in:
a. Asia
b. Africa
c. Russia
d. South America
e. The United States
71. Population growth is highest in:
a. Low-income countries
b. Middle-income countries
c. High-income countries
d. About the same in all countries
72. Life expectancy of females in developed nations is _______________________
males:
a. Longer than
b. About the same as
c. Shorter than
73. Globally there is an inverse relationship between wealth and fertility:
a. True
b. False
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74. In the year 2050, the highest proportion of the world’s population will live in:
a. Asia
b. Africa
c. North America
d. South America
e. Indonesia
75. Over the next 20 years, the fastest rate of population growth will occur in:
a. Asia
b. Africa
c. North America
d. South America
e. Indonesia
76. In order to survive, developed countries such as the U.S. and Japan will need to
increase worker productivity:
a. True
b. False
77. An aging population is a serious public health issue in:
a. India
b. Nigeria
c. Japan
d. Brazil
78. The average duration of an untreated depressive episode is:
a. 2 weeks
b. Four months
c. Two years
d. 30 years
e. Is a chronic condition
79. Community surveys for mental illness are likely to:
a. Underestimate the prevalence
b. Overestimate the prevalence
c. Approximate the true prevalence
80. One in four Americans are likely to suffer from depression at some point in their
lives:
a. True
b. False
81. Women are more likely to suffer from:
a. Mood disorders
b. Anxiety disorders
c. Substance disorder
d. All of the above
e. a. and b. above
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82. In general, people with mental illness have a shorter life span compared to people
without mental illness:
a. True
b. False
83. Having one episode of depression increases the likelihood of having another
episode:
a. True
b. False
84. Prevention of mental disorders should focus on which of the following age groups?
a. <10 years old
b. 11-19 years old
c. 20-30 years old
d. 30-39 years old
85. Primary prevention of mental illness should target:
a. The population
b. Individuals at risk
c. Symptomatic individuals
d. All of the above
e. b. and c. above
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