Arab Board Community Medicine Final Written 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 disease occurs and is used to study causes.

The proportion of a population that has a disease or risk factor at a given point in time (point prevalence) or during a stated period (period prevalence). It reflects total burden and is useful for planning services.

An observational design that starts with people who already have the outcome (cases) and compares them with similar people without it (controls), looking back at past exposures. It is efficient for rare diseases.

A situation where a third factor is linked both to the exposure and to the outcome, distorting the apparent association between them. Confounding is addressed in design by randomisation or restriction, and in analysis by stratification or modelling.

The ratio of the risk of an outcome in an exposed group to the risk in an unexposed group. A value above one suggests increased risk with exposure; it is the main effect measure in cohort studies.

A range of values, calculated from sample data, that is likely to contain the true population value with a stated probability, usually 95%. Its width reflects precision: wider intervals indicate greater uncertainty.

The probability of obtaining a result at least as extreme as that observed, assuming the null hypothesis is true. It is not the probability that the null hypothesis is true, a common misinterpretation.

The probability that a study will detect a real effect of a specified size, if that effect exists. Power depends on sample size, effect size, variability and the chosen significance level; the conventional minimum is usually 80%.

The proportion of people who truly have a condition and are correctly identified as positive by a test. A highly sensitive test rarely misses cases, so it is preferred when missing disease is dangerous.

The proportion of people with a positive test result who actually have the condition. Unlike sensitivity, it depends heavily on disease prevalence, so it falls when a disease is rare in the tested population.

The function of government and leadership to set the direction of the health system: defining policy, regulating providers and payers, gathering intelligence and ensuring accountability. It is one of the core building blocks of a health system.

A management approach in which teams repeatedly measure processes and outcomes, test small changes and adopt what works, aiming for steady gains in safety, effectiveness and patient experience rather than one-off inspection.

A routine system that collects, stores, analyses and reports health service data - such as visits, births, immunisations and stock levels - so managers can monitor performance, allocate resources and plan services.

The transfer of authority, responsibility and often resources from central government to district or local levels. It can improve responsiveness and local ownership, but requires clear roles, capacity and accountability arrangements to avoid fragmentation.

A structured review of the current health situation and its determinants - burden of disease, services, resources, stakeholders and context - carried out before planning, to identify priority problems and justify the chosen strategy.

A comparison of alternative interventions in terms of cost per unit of health outcome, such as cost per life-year gained or per case prevented. It helps decision-makers choose the option giving most health for a fixed budget.

A policy goal that all people receive the health services they need - promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation - without suffering financial hardship. It is assessed through population coverage, service coverage and financial protection.

A method of identifying the individuals and groups affected by, or able to influence, a policy or programme, and assessing their interests, power and position, so that engagement and communication can be planned.

A regulatory maximum concentration of a workplace hazard, usually airborne, to which workers may be exposed over a defined averaging time. Limits are set to protect most workers but do not guarantee safety for everyone.

Devices worn or used by workers - such as gloves, respirators, goggles or hearing protection - to reduce exposure to hazards. It is the last line of defence in the hierarchy of controls.

A formal process that predicts the likely environmental and health effects of a proposed project before approval, and sets out mitigation measures. It informs decision-makers and often includes public consultation.

Measurement of a chemical or its metabolite in workers' body fluids or tissues, such as blood or urine, to estimate total uptake from all routes. It complements air monitoring by accounting for skin absorption and individual behaviour.

A theory explaining preventive health behaviour through perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits and barriers, plus cues to action and self-efficacy. It is often used to design messages that address beliefs blocking healthy action.

A model describing behaviour change as movement through pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance, with possible relapse. Interventions are matched to the person's current stage rather than assuming readiness.

The application of commercial marketing principles - audience segmentation, exchange, and the marketing mix - to promote voluntary behaviour change for social benefit. It focuses on consumer needs and uses research to design attractive, accessible offers.

An approach that treats places such as schools, workplaces, hospitals and cities as whole systems, changing policies, environment and culture together so that healthy choices become the easy choices for everyone there.

The ongoing, systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of health data, followed by timely dissemination to those who need it, so that action can be taken to control disease and monitor trends.

The uninterrupted series of temperature-controlled storage and transport steps that keeps vaccines potent from manufacture to use. Breaks in the chain, such as freezing or overheating, can destroy vaccine potency irreversibly.

Indirect protection of unvaccinated or susceptible people that arises when a sufficiently large proportion of a population is immune, so that transmission chains are interrupted and outbreaks become unlikely.

A strategy in which a trained observer or health worker watches the patient swallow each dose of medication, used mainly in tuberculosis care to support adherence, monitor tolerability and prevent emergence of drug resistance.

Action that prevents the emergence of risk factors in the first place, for example by shaping food, transport and school environments so that populations never adopt unhealthy diets or inactivity. It acts upstream of primary prevention.

A package of six evidence-based tobacco control measures: monitoring use, protecting people from smoke, offering cessation help, warning about harms, enforcing advertising bans and raising taxes. It gives countries a practical framework for implementing the WHO Framework Convention.

Structured support that builds the skills, confidence and routines people with long-term conditions need to manage symptoms, medication, diet and activity, often through group courses and action plans, alongside clinical care.

The number of maternal deaths during a given period per 100,000 live births in the same period. It reflects deaths from pregnancy-related causes while pregnant or within 42 days of termination, and indicates health system performance.

The planned package of checks, screening, education and support offered to a woman during pregnancy, aiming to detect and manage complications early, prepare for birth and promote the health of mother and baby.

Feeding an infant only breast milk, with no other food or drink except vitamins, minerals or medicines, from birth until six months. It protects against infection and supports growth, development and maternal health.

A model in which a primary care practice identifies the health problems of its defined community, plans and delivers services with community participation, and evaluates the impact on that population's health.

Care that responds to the individual's values, needs and preferences, involves them in decisions, ensures continuity and coordination, and provides information and support. It is associated with better adherence, satisfaction and outcomes.

The agreed processes by which a health worker sends a patient to a higher or more specialised level of care, with feedback returning to the original provider. It should be supported by protocols, communication and clear criteria.