COMAT Preventive Medicine and Public Health 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to the 2021 USPSTF update, at what age should average-risk individuals begin colorectal cancer screening?
- 40 years
- 45 years (Correct answer)
- 50 years
- 55 years
Correct answer: 45 years
The USPSTF updated its 2021 recommendation to begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45 for average-risk adults, lowering it from the prior age of 50.
Question 2: Which herpes zoster vaccine is preferred for adults aged 50 and older due to its greater than 90% efficacy?
- Zostavax (live-attenuated)
- Shingrix (recombinant subunit) (Correct answer)
- Varivax (live-attenuated)
- MMRV (live-attenuated)
Correct answer: Shingrix (recombinant subunit)
Shingrix (recombinant zoster vaccine, RZV) is the preferred vaccine for herpes zoster prevention in adults ≥50 years, with >90% efficacy across age groups.
Question 3: In epidemiology, which measure quantifies the proportion of new disease cases arising in a susceptible population over a defined time period?
- Prevalence
- Incidence rate (Correct answer)
- Attack rate
- Mortality rate
Correct answer: Incidence rate
Incidence rate measures the proportion of new cases developing in a population at risk during a specified time period, distinct from prevalence which includes existing cases.
Question 4: When disease prevalence in a population is very low (1%), a screening test with 90% sensitivity and 80% specificity will most likely produce which of the following?
- High positive predictive value
- Low negative predictive value
- Many false positive results relative to true positives (Correct answer)
- Correct identification of all true negatives
Correct answer: Many false positive results relative to true positives
At very low disease prevalence, even a moderately specific test generates many false positives for each true positive, resulting in a low positive predictive value.
Question 5: Which level of prevention involves early detection and treatment of asymptomatic disease through screening programs?
- Primary prevention
- Secondary prevention (Correct answer)
- Tertiary prevention
- Quaternary prevention
Correct answer: Secondary prevention
Secondary prevention encompasses screening and early detection strategies aimed at identifying disease in asymptomatic individuals before symptoms develop.
Question 6: Which modifiable risk factor is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, responsible for approximately 480,000 deaths annually?
- Obesity
- Tobacco use (Correct answer)
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive alcohol consumption
Correct answer: Tobacco use
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the US, accounting for nearly 1 in 5 deaths annually through cancers, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory illness.
Question 7: According to the 2024 USPSTF recommendation, when should average-risk women begin biennial mammography screening for breast cancer?
- Age 35
- Age 40 (Correct answer)
- Age 45
- Age 50
Correct answer: Age 40
The 2024 USPSTF update recommends that average-risk women begin biennial mammography screening at age 40, earlier than the prior recommendation of 50.
COMAT Preventive Medicine and Public Health 1
According to the 2021 USPSTF update, at what age should average-risk individuals begin colorectal cancer screening?