In epidemiology, what is the primary objective when studying exposures and determinants?

• A. To estimate individual patient costs
• B. To determine the association between exposures, risk factors and health outcomes including mortality
• C. To conduct laboratory experiments
• D. To develop vaccines

Answer: (B)

When studying exposures and determinants, the goal is to determine whether and how different factors relate to health outcomes in populations, and to quantify that relationship. This means identifying associations between exposures or risk factors and health outcomes, including mortality, and measuring how much risk changes with exposure. This understanding guides public health actions, helps target interventions, and informs prevention strategies. Tools like relative risk, odds ratios, and risk differences are used to describe the strength of these associations, while considering confounding and bias to interpret whether the links might be causal.

Estimating individual patient costs falls more under economic analyses than epidemiology’s focus on population-level relationships. Conducting laboratory experiments belongs to basic or translational science rather than studying exposures and determinants in real-world populations. Developing vaccines is an intervention/product development activity, not the central aim of examining how exposures relate to health outcomes.