Which statement reveals a misunderstanding of epidemiology by a nursing student?

The statement indicating a misunderstanding of epidemiology relates to health care reform aimed at lowering medical costs. While health care reform can certainly intersect with public health initiatives and the broader goals of improving community health, it does not encapsulate the fundamental nature of epidemiology. Epidemiology primarily focuses on the study of how health-related states or events are distributed in populations and the factors that influence these patterns.

The core purpose of epidemiology is to identify risk factors for disease and targets for preventive healthcare, as well as to monitor the effectiveness of health services. The other statements correctly frame the objectives and methodologies of epidemiology: they emphasize the analysis of health-related states within populations, the role of disease prevention, and the use of statistical data such as vital statistics and disease registries to inform public health actions. Therefore, the mention of health care reform does not align with the fundamental principles and focus areas of epidemiology.