Population Health and Epidemiology Flashcards

A p-value of 0.04 in a study comparing two treatments means there is approximately a 4% probability that:

Answer: The observed result occurred if the null hypothesis were true

The p-value is the probability of obtaining the observed data or more extreme assuming the null hypothesis is true.

Standardisation of mortality rates between two populations is used primarily to adjust for differences in:

Answer: Age structure

Standardisation removes the confounding effect of differing age distributions when comparing populations.

Which measure is most appropriate for comparing the burden of disease accounting for both premature death and disability?

Answer: Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)

DALYs combine years of life lost and years lived with disability into a single burden measure.

In Bradford Hill's criteria for causation, a dose-response relationship refers to:

Answer: Greater exposure producing greater risk

A biological gradient or dose-response means increasing exposure is associated with increasing disease risk.

A diagnostic test has a positive likelihood ratio of 10. This means a positive result:

Answer: Substantially increases the probability of disease

A likelihood ratio of 10 markedly raises post-test probability and strongly supports the diagnosis.

Which type of epidemic curve suggests a common point-source exposure?

Answer: A single sharp peak

A point-source outbreak typically produces a single sharp peak within one incubation period.

Intention-to-treat analysis in a randomised trial means participants are analysed according to:

Answer: Their original randomised group

Intention-to-treat analyses participants in their assigned groups regardless of adherence, preserving randomisation.