Lecture 2 - Environment

Question 1

What is a hazard?

Answer 1

Something with potential to cause harm.

Question 2

What is risk?

Answer 2

Likelihood of harm occurring

Question 3

What is a risk factor?

Answer 3

Something that increases the risk.

Question 4

Name 5 categories of hazard in health.

Answer 4

Physical
Chemical
Mechanical
Biological 
Psychological

Question 5

Susceptibility means…?

Answer 5

How likely that something will cause harm.

Question 6

Name 4 routes of exposure in health.

Answer 6

Skin
Blood/sexual
Inhalation
Ingestion

Question 7

Name 3 factors that increase risk (in terms of exposure).

Answer 7

How much a person is exposed.
How the person is exposed.
Conditions of the exposure.

Question 8

What are the 3 principles that govern perception of risk?

Answer 8

• Feeling in control
• Size of possible harm
• Familiarity with risk

Question 9

Elaborate on feeling in control.

Answer 9

Involuntary risks are perceived as greater risk.

Voluntary risks are deemed as smaller risk.

Question 10

Possible harm - elaborate.

Answer 10

If the possible harm is greater then it is perceived as a bigger risk - even if smaller harm is more likely.

Question 11

If risk is more familiar is it perceived as greater or smaller?

Answer 11

Smaller.

Question 12

Individuals have variables in their risk perception. Name 3.

Answer 12

Previous Experience.
Attitudes.
Beliefs.

Question 13

What are the three categories of direct pathological effects of the environment?

Answer 13

Physical
Chemical
Biological

Question 14

Give 2 examples of Physical.

Answer 14

Ionising/non-ionising radiation.

Noise and vibration.

Question 15

Give 2 examples of Chemical.

Answer 15

Pesticides, Volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Question 16

Give 2 examples of Biological.

Answer 16

Infectious agents

Allergens

Question 17

What are three indirect pathological effects of the environment?

Answer 17

Housing e.g overcrowding
Transport e.g. does it encourage walking
Town Planning e.g. access to social networks.

Question 18

Diet can have hazardous exposure, give some examples.

Answer 18

Fat, Salt, bacteria

Question 19

How is inhalation hazardous?

Answer 19

If smoke, smog or asbestos is inhaled.

Question 20

What are environmental hazards to our skin?

Answer 20

UVA, UVA, Bacteria and cosmetics.

Question 21

Is occupational disease a risk?

Answer 21

YEs - 171 were fatally injured in 2010/2011 alone.

Question 22

Give 3 examples of how global health and hazards are linked.

Answer 22

Inequality in health between countries.
Ineffective use of limited resources.
Human rights issues.

Question 23

What aspects of health are likely to be worse in children growing up in deprived areas?

Answer 23

Lower birth weight
Poorer dental health
Less likely to benefit from breast feeding in infancy 
Higher rates of poor nutrition/obesity 
Higher rates of teen pregnancy 
Less likely to benefit from promotions/immunisations
More likely to be admitted  
Greater risk of infant mortality
More likely to take up smoking

Question 24

What are risks to foetus?

Answer 24

Alcohol 
Smoking 
Illicit drugs
X-rays
Diet 
Prescription drugs
OTC drugs, herbal remedies

Question 25

What are some difficulties of treating a foreign patient?

Answer 25

Fear/Distrust
Racism 
Language barrier 
Patient may not be entitled to NHS care
Examination taboos
Bias and ethnocentrism