The 'iceberg phenomenon' of disease in epidemiology refers to which of the following concepts?
- A Seasonal clustering of infectious disease outbreaks
- B The large pool of undiagnosed or subclinical cases hidden beneath diagnosed cases ✓
- C Geographic concentration of non-communicable diseases
- D The rapid exponential phase of an epidemic curve
Correct answer: B. The large pool of undiagnosed or subclinical cases hidden beneath diagnosed cases
Explanation
The iceberg concept describes how clinically apparent cases represent only the visible tip, while a larger mass of subclinical, undiagnosed, or carrier states remains submerged. This is fundamental to understanding why screening programmes are needed and why passive surveillance underestimates true disease burden.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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