MS Master of Public Health 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is herd immunity threshold, and what determines it?
- The proportion of immune individuals needed to prevent epidemic spread, determined by the basic reproduction number R₀ (Correct answer)
- The number of vaccinated individuals in a hospital
- The percentage of cases that are fatal
- The speed at which a virus mutates
Correct answer: The proportion of immune individuals needed to prevent epidemic spread, determined by the basic reproduction number R₀
Herd immunity threshold = 1 - (1/R₀); for measles with R₀ ≈ 15, approximately 93% of the population must be immune to prevent sustained transmission.
Question 2: In public health, what does 'attributable risk percent' (AR%) indicate?
- The proportion of disease in exposed individuals attributable to the exposure (Correct answer)
- The total number of cases in a population
- The relative risk compared to unexposed groups
- The sensitivity of a screening test
Correct answer: The proportion of disease in exposed individuals attributable to the exposure
AR% = (Risk_exposed - Risk_unexposed) / Risk_exposed × 100, representing what fraction of disease among exposed people is due to the exposure.
Question 3: What is the PRECEDE-PROCEED model used for in health program planning?
- Systematic assessment and planning framework for health education and promotion programs (Correct answer)
- Calculating disease mortality rates
- Designing clinical trials
- Allocating hospital resources
Correct answer: Systematic assessment and planning framework for health education and promotion programs
PRECEDE-PROCEED is a comprehensive planning framework that guides assessment of health needs (PRECEDE) and program implementation/evaluation (PROCEED) for health promotion.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of foodborne illness surveillance systems like FoodNet in the US?
- Monitor trends in foodborne disease incidence and identify outbreak sources (Correct answer)
- Regulate food manufacturing processes
- Inspect restaurant sanitation
- Set dietary guidelines for Americans
Correct answer: Monitor trends in foodborne disease incidence and identify outbreak sources
FoodNet (Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network) tracks the incidence of laboratory-confirmed foodborne illnesses to monitor trends, identify outbreaks, and evaluate prevention measures.
Question 5: In occupational health, what does the hierarchy of controls prioritize as the most effective measure?
- Elimination of the hazard at the source (Correct answer)
- Use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Administrative controls like job rotation
- Engineering controls like ventilation
Correct answer: Elimination of the hazard at the source
The hierarchy of controls ranks hazard elimination as most effective because it removes the hazard entirely, followed by substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE.
Question 6: What is the CDC's CASPER (Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response) tool designed for?
- Rapid assessment of health and social needs in communities following disasters (Correct answer)
- Long-term chronic disease surveillance
- Hospital capacity planning
- Vaccination registry management
Correct answer: Rapid assessment of health and social needs in communities following disasters
CASPER uses cluster sampling to rapidly gather community-level data on health needs, resource requirements, and population vulnerabilities after public health emergencies.
MS Master of Public Health 2
What is herd immunity threshold, and what determines it?