Patient Zero Pages 1-33 Flashcard

Front

What is the role of an epidemiologist?

Back

Epidemiologists study the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations. They search for clues about how diseases start, figure out how they are transmitted, and identify risk factors.

Front

What is the main way the plague was spread?

Back

The plague was primarily spread by fleas living on rats, which would then spread to humans.

Front

What does humoral theory refer to?

Back

Humoral theory is the idea that health is maintained by a balance of four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile.

Front

Can people still catch the plague today?

Back

True, people can still catch the plague today, although it is rare.

Front

What is the difference between a pandemic and an epidemic?

Back

An epidemic is a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in a specific area, while a pandemic is an epidemic that has spread over multiple countries or continents.

Front

What are the four bodily fluids in humoral theory?

Back

The four bodily fluids are blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile.

Front

What is an example of a disease that can be spread by vectors?

Back

The plague is an example of a disease spread by vectors, specifically fleas.

Front

What is the significance of identifying risk factors in epidemiology?

Back

Identifying risk factors helps in understanding who is more likely to get a disease and can guide prevention strategies.

Front

What does it mean for a disease to be endemic?

Back

A disease is considered endemic when it is consistently present in a particular geographic area or population.

Front

What is the purpose of an epidemiological study?

Back

The purpose of an epidemiological study is to investigate the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations.