Arab Board Community Medicine Part 1 key terms

The number of new cases of a disease arising in a defined population during a specified period, divided by the person-time at risk. It measures how fast new cases appear.

The proportion of a population that has a disease or condition at a given point in time or over a period. It reflects the total burden of disease, both old and new cases.

The total time each individual in a cohort remains under observation and at risk, summed across all participants. It is the denominator used to calculate incidence rates.

The proportion of a defined population that develops illness after a specific exposure over a short period, often used in outbreak investigations. It is a type of incidence proportion.

The proportion of people diagnosed with a disease who die from it within a specified period. It indicates severity rather than the risk of acquiring the disease.

The ratio of the risk of an outcome in an exposed group to the risk in an unexposed group. It quantifies how many times more likely the outcome is among the exposed.

The ratio of the odds of exposure among cases to the odds of exposure among controls. It approximates relative risk when the outcome is rare and is used in case-control studies.

A distortion of the association between exposure and outcome caused by a third variable related to both, but not on the causal pathway. It must be controlled by design or analysis.

A systematic error arising when the participants included in a study differ from the eligible population in ways that affect the exposure-outcome relationship. It cannot usually be corrected after data collection.

Sensitivity is the proportion of truly diseased people correctly identified by a test; specificity is the proportion of truly non-diseased people correctly identified. Both describe test validity against a gold standard.

The probability that a person with a positive test result actually has the disease. It depends on both test sensitivity and specificity and on the prevalence of the condition in the population tested.

An observational design in which groups defined by exposure status are followed over time and compared for the occurrence of outcomes. It allows direct calculation of incidence and relative risk.

An observational design that starts with people who have the outcome (cases) and comparable people without it (controls), then looks back at past exposures. It is efficient for rare diseases.

An experimental study in which participants are assigned to intervention or control groups by chance. Randomization balances known and unknown confounders and supports causal inference.

The process of allocating study participants to groups using a chance mechanism so that each has a known probability of assignment. It reduces confounding and selection bias at baseline.

The probability that a study will detect a true effect of a given size, equal to one minus the type II error rate. It increases with larger sample size and larger expected effect.

The probability of observing a result at least as extreme as the one obtained, assuming the null hypothesis is true. It is not the probability that the null hypothesis is true.

A range of values calculated from sample data within which the true population parameter is expected to lie with a stated probability, usually 95%. It conveys both precision and effect size.

A method of adjusting crude rates to remove the effect of differences in population structure, such as age, so that rates from different populations can be compared fairly.

The presumptive identification of unrecognized disease in apparently healthy people using tests applied rapidly. It requires an accepted test, effective treatment, and adequate follow-up.

The indirect protection of susceptible individuals that occurs when a sufficiently high proportion of a population is immune to an infection, interrupting chains of transmission.

The average number of secondary cases generated by one infectious case in a fully susceptible population. It indicates the transmissibility of an infection and the immunity needed for control.

The systematic process of confirming an excess of cases, defining cases, generating hypotheses, and implementing control measures. It aims to identify the source and prevent further transmission.

The proportional reduction in disease risk among vaccinated compared with unvaccinated people, usually measured in a trial. It is calculated as one minus the risk ratio.

A disease for which health care providers or laboratories are legally required to report cases to public health authorities. Reporting enables surveillance and timely control action.

The ongoing systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data, linked to timely dissemination to those who need it for action. It underpins disease control and policy.

The number of maternal deaths during a given period per 100,000 live births in the same period. It reflects the risk of dying once pregnant and the quality of obstetric care.

The number of stillbirths plus deaths in the first week of life per 1,000 total births. It combines late fetal and early neonatal loss and reflects care around delivery.

The planned package of health services provided to a pregnant woman before birth, including screening, risk assessment, and health promotion. It aims to detect and manage complications early.

The regular measurement and plotting of a child's weight, length, and head circumference against standard reference charts to detect faltering growth and malnutrition early.

Low height for age in children resulting from chronic undernutrition and repeated infection. It reflects long-term nutritional deprivation and is usually assessed against growth standards.

Low weight for height in children indicating acute malnutrition, often due to recent food shortage or illness. It is a strong predictor of short-term mortality risk.

A measure of weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters, used to classify underweight, overweight, and obesity in adults and children by age-specific cut-offs.

Modifiable and non-modifiable characteristics that raise the likelihood of chronic diseases, including tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful alcohol use, and raised blood pressure or glucose.

The process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health through actions on individuals and environments. It includes health education and healthy public policy.

A 1986 international statement setting out five action areas for health promotion: healthy public policy, supportive environments, community action, personal skills, and reorienting health services.

Essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound, and socially acceptable methods, made universally accessible to individuals and families with their full participation and at a cost the community can afford.

The situation in which all people receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. It combines service coverage, population coverage, and financial protection.

The six core components of a health system defined by WHO: service delivery, health workforce, information, medical products and technologies, financing, and leadership and governance. They guide system assessment and strengthening.

The organized collection, storage, processing, and dissemination of health data to support decision-making, planning, and monitoring of services. It includes records, registries, and reporting platforms.

A digital longitudinal record of an individual's health information created and maintained across care settings. It supports continuity of care, decision support, and secondary analysis.

The ethical and legal duty to protect personal health information from unauthorized disclosure, using consent, access controls, and secure handling. It is a core principle of health data governance.

The voluntary agreement of a competent person to participate in research or treatment after receiving and understanding relevant information about risks, benefits, and alternatives.

An independent body that reviews research proposals to protect the rights, safety, and welfare of participants. Its approval is required before research involving human subjects begins.

A standardized scale that reports how polluted the air is and the associated health risk, based on concentrations of key pollutants. Higher values indicate greater risk to health.

Airborne solid and liquid particles classified by size, such as PM10 and PM2.5. Fine particles penetrate deep into the lungs and are linked to cardiovascular and respiratory disease.

The process of identifying hazards in the environment, estimating exposure, and characterizing the likelihood and severity of harm to human health. It informs standards and control measures.

A regulatory maximum concentration of a workplace hazard, such as a chemical or noise, to which a worker may be exposed over a defined period. It guides workplace control measures.

A ranked approach to reducing workplace hazards, from most to least effective: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment.

The treatment of drinking water to inactivate or destroy pathogens, commonly by chlorination, filtration, or ultraviolet light. It is a key barrier against waterborne disease.