Questions and Answers
What is environmental health?
The study of how environmental factors affect human health and quality of life.
What is a hazard?
Something that threatens or is harmful to human health.
What is a pathogen?
A disease-causing organism.
What is epidemiology?
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What is toxicology?
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What is toxicity?
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What does 'dose' refer to in environmental health?
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What is a response in the context of environmental health hazards?
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What is the dose-response relationship?
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What is risk in environmental contexts?
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What is risk assessment?
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Which of the following are examples of environmental health hazards? (Select all that apply)
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Epidemiology is the study of disease in human populations, while toxicology focuses on the benefits of substances.
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Individuals respond equally to environmental hazards regardless of personal factors.
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Study Notes
Environmental Health
- Focuses on how environmental factors impact human health and overall quality of life.
Hazards
- Defined as anything that poses a threat or harm to human health.
- Types include biological, chemical, physical, and social hazards.
Pathogens
- Organisms that cause disease, including viruses and bacteria.
Epidemiology
- A field of study that investigates the patterns, causes, and effects of diseases within human populations.
Toxicology
- The study of the effects of poisons and hazardous substances on organisms.
Toxicity
- Refers to the harmful effects a substance can have on health, varying in degree.
Dose
- The specific amount of exposure to a hazardous substance, influencing health outcomes.
Response
- The health effect experienced by an organism after exposure to a pollutant or hazardous substance.
Dose-Response Relationship
- The correlation between different exposure levels and their effects on an organism's health.
Risk
- The likelihood that a hazard will result in harmful health effects.
Risk Assessment
- Involves evaluating the probability of harm from exposure to environmental hazards.
Types of Environmental Health Hazards
- Biological Hazards: Include viruses and bacteria that can lead to illness.
- Chemical Hazards: Consist of harmful substances, whether synthetic or natural.
- Physical Hazards: Natural disasters like earthquakes, fires, and droughts that threaten health.
- Social Hazards: Arise from lifestyle choices or socio-economic factors, such as smoking.
Individual Response Variability
- Factors such as age, sex, weight, health conditions, and genetics affect how individuals react to environmental hazards, explaining why some may become ill while others do not.
Understanding Hazards
- Epidemiology and toxicology work together to elucidate how environmental factors influence health, including the extent and nature of exposure effects.
Main Ideas Structure
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Types of Hazards:
- Chemical, Physical, Social, Biological
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Epidemiology vs. Toxicology:
- Study of disease in populations vs. study of poisonous substances' effects on health.
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Risk Assessment:
- Evaluates the likelihood of harm from environmental hazards.
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Description
Test your knowledge with these flashcards covering key terms from Chapter 9 of Environmental Science. Learn important concepts related to environmental health, hazards, pathogens, and epidemiology. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their understanding of this essential topic.
