Midterm Exam Grades—Happy October!

Courtesy of Dr. Saad Omer,

GH
EPI/GH 517 Midterm Exam Scores
• Mean score: 20.9 points (87%, B+)
• Median score: 22 points (91.7%, A-)
• You did okay!
Does this feel like the end of the world?
Remember:
18/24 is not 75%
for the course, it
just means you
missed 6 out of
the total 100
points and there
will be bonus
points, starting
with the measles
problem…
 Midterm Exam
Difficulties:
1) Read the question carefully and answer all parts. Some lost credit
because they did not answer one or more parts of a question.
Others flipped answers (shift for drift, source for reservoir)
2) Study Design—what measure to use:
– Case control: use Odds Ratio Disease No Disease
Exposure a b
OR = ad/bc
No Exposure c d

– Cohort study: use Relative Risk (Risk Ratio)

***ANSWER KEY NOW POSTED ON CANVAS ***

 CASE-CONTROL STUDY
Cause Effect
Exposed to Exposed
the cause—
Dessert

Unexposed Unexposed
to the cause
—No Cases Effect (Salmonella)
Dessert

Exposed to Exposed
the cause—
Dessert

Unexposed
to the cause
—No
Unexposed
Dessert Controls No effect (Well)
 Cohort Study—Ever hospitalized this year
Cause Effect
Exposed to C.diff
With effect (death)
Smoke

Without effect
Exposed (survived)
Cohort Exposed
No C.diff
With effect (death)
No
Smoke
Without effect
(survived)
Unexposed
Cohort Unexposed
 Midterm Exam
You did OK!
• Answer key posted on Canvas
• We tried to be generous—e.g., Problem B we
gave credit for answers close to the correct
range
• If you scored below 16, please review your
exam with a TA this week
• Bonus Point opportunities coming!
 Extra Credit Opportunity: BONUS POINTS
2 points maximum, for those who missed problem H 1, H 2, and/or I  2 (11, 12, 14):

1. Find an article (not covered in class or on exam) that uses a case-control design and an
odds ratio for assessing differential risk.
-OR-
2. Find an article (not covered in class or on exam) that uses a cohort study design and a
relative risk or risk ratio for assessing differential risk.
-THEN-
1. Design a problem for next year’s exam that would have a student calculate the main
effect: OR (if case-control) or RR (if cohort)
2. Make up an answer key showing how you would solve the problem
3. Provide the reference
Maximum points with extra credit: 24 Due: October 19
On to homework for this week…new mode of acquisition

• Foodborne
• Waterborne
• Fecal-Oral
• Bloodborne
• Contact
• Airborne
• Zoonotic
With COVID-19:
We didn’t communicate well WHY to wear a mask
(mostly to prevent infections in others)…and

We didn’t convey well

the benefit for self
(there is some)
Will we do better with Nipah?
Virulence:
75 deaths per 100 infected