Public Health Nursing Practice Exam

What type of law allows the state to quarantine a person diagnosed with tuberculosis?

1. Constitutional

2. Common

3. Judicial

4. State

The correct answer is: Constitutional

The correct answer is that state law allows the quarantine of a person diagnosed with tuberculosis. This type of law is crucial within the realm of public health because it empowers state authorities to take necessary measures to protect the health of the community from communicable diseases. State laws provide the framework for public health regulations, including quarantine and isolation measures aimed at controlling infectious diseases. Quarantine serves as a public health strategy to limit the spread of illness, particularly in cases of highly contagious diseases like tuberculosis. By enacting such laws, states can respond swiftly to potential health threats, ensuring that individuals who pose a risk to public health are temporarily separated from others until they are no longer contagious or until it is deemed safe for them to reintegrate with the community. While constitutional laws might outline general rights and restrictions, they do not specifically address public health measures like quarantine, and judicial law would refer more to the processes of courts and legal judgments rather than the implementation of health policy. Common law is derived from judicial decisions and precedents rather than legislation, making it less applicable in this context. Therefore, state laws specifically granted powers to manage public health crises are the appropriate foundation for implementing quarantine measures.