COMAT Preventive Medicine and Public Health 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The CAGE questionnaire screens for which condition using four questions about cutting down, annoyance, guilt, and eye-openers?
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Alcohol use disorder (Correct answer)
- Opioid use disorder
Correct answer: Alcohol use disorder
The CAGE questionnaire is a validated 4-item screening tool for alcohol use disorder; a score of ≥2 indicates a clinically significant alcohol problem.
Question 2: A new drug reduces the absolute risk of myocardial infarction from 4% to 2% over 5 years. What is the number needed to treat (NNT)?
- 2
- 25
- 50 (Correct answer)
- 100
Correct answer: 50
NNT = 1 / absolute risk reduction = 1 / (0.04 − 0.02) = 1 / 0.02 = 50, meaning 50 patients must be treated to prevent one additional MI.
Question 3: Which BMI range defines Class I obesity in adults according to standard clinical guidelines?
- 25.0–29.9 kg/m²
- 30.0–34.9 kg/m² (Correct answer)
- 35.0–39.9 kg/m²
- ≥40.0 kg/m²
Correct answer: 30.0–34.9 kg/m²
Class I obesity is defined as BMI 30.0–34.9 kg/m²; Class II is 35.0–39.9, and Class III (severe) is ≥40.0 kg/m².
Question 4: Which pharmacotherapy is considered the most effective first-line agent for smoking cessation due to partial agonism at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors?
- Bupropion SR alone
- Nicotine replacement therapy alone
- Varenicline (Chantix) (Correct answer)
- Nortriptyline
Correct answer: Varenicline (Chantix)
Varenicline is the most efficacious first-line pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation, acting as a partial agonist at α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to reduce cravings and withdrawal.
Question 5: Which malignancy is strongly associated with occupational asbestos exposure, typically presenting 20–40 years after exposure?
- Silicosis
- Mesothelioma (Correct answer)
- Byssinosis
- Berylliosis
Correct answer: Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor of the pleura or peritoneum with a long latency period, and asbestos exposure is its predominant risk factor.
Question 6: Which of the following cardiovascular disease risk factors is considered modifiable through clinical and lifestyle intervention?
- Age
- Family history of coronary artery disease
- Hypertension (Correct answer)
- Male sex
Correct answer: Hypertension
Hypertension is a major modifiable cardiovascular risk factor that can be reduced through lifestyle changes, antihypertensive medications, or both.
Question 7: In a cohort study, relative risk (RR) is calculated by comparing which of the following between exposed and unexposed groups?
- Odds of disease
- Incidence (rate) of disease (Correct answer)
- Prevalence of disease
- Mortality rates of diseased patients
Correct answer: Incidence (rate) of disease
Relative risk compares the incidence rate of disease in exposed individuals to that in unexposed individuals, making it the appropriate measure for cohort studies.
COMAT Preventive Medicine and Public Health 2
The CAGE questionnaire screens for which condition using four questions about cutting down, annoyance, guilt, and eye-openers?