The Environment & Human Health Flashcards

0
Q

How many environmental hazards are there

A

Four

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1
Q

Define hazards

A

Environmental factors that pose risks to the: physical, mental, and social well being of humans.

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2
Q

What are the four environmental hazards

A

Physical hazard
Chemical hazard
Biological hazard
Cultural hazard

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3
Q

Define chemical hazard

A

Synthetic compounds (pollutants) found in water, air, and food

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4
Q

Define Biological hazards

A

Pathogens that cause infectious diseases

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5
Q

Define Cultural hazards

A

Threats from where you live, job and lifestyle choices

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6
Q

Define Risk

A

Situation involving exposure to danger

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7
Q

Risk formula

A

Risk = (probability) X (consequences)

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8
Q

Define Probability

A

Measure of how likely some event will occur

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9
Q

Consequences

A

Damages to people, property, economics

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10
Q

Define Acceptable Risk

A

The amount of risk an individual or society is willing to take

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11
Q

Physical hazards caused by

A

Caused by natural processes or events.
Preparation is key.
Become hazardous when people live or work near the hazard and human activity amplify there effect.
Humans have little to no control over natural events.

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12
Q

What are Geologic Hazards

A

Earthquakes
Tsunamis
Volcanic eruptions
Landslides

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13
Q

List weather hazards

A
Hurricanes 
Tornadoes 
Blizzards
Floods
Wildfires
Drought
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14
Q

Most common form of radiation

A

Electromagnetic radiation

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15
Q

How are physical hazards created

A

Continuous exposure to natural conditions

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16
Q

Define Radiation

A

Energy that is emitted from a source and travels through material or space.

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17
Q

Types of radiation

A

Non-ionizing radiation

Ionizing radiation

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18
Q

Define non-ionizing radiation

A

Low energy EM radiation, which is essential to life.

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19
Q

Examples of Non-ionizing Radiation

A

Radio waves
microwaves
infared radiation
-only excessive exposure lwads to health risks.

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20
Q

Define Ionizing Radiation

A

High energy EM radiation

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21
Q

Examples of Ionizing Radiation

A

Ultra violet radiation
X-ray
Gamma radiation
-Acute exposure to large dose can damage living tissue, cause mutation, radiation sickness or cancer.

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22
Q

What are the 3 types of Chemical hazards

A

Toxicology
Acute toxicity
Chronic toxicity

23
Q

Define toxicology

A

Study of how poisonous (toxic) substances affect human health

24
Q

Define acute toxicity

A

Adverse effects that occur within a short period of time after exposure to toxic chemicals.
Ex: industrial chemicals

25
Q

Define chronic toxicity

A

Adverse effects that occur after a long exposure to toxic chemicals.
Ex: asbestos

26
Q

What are the classification of toxins (6)

A
Allergens
Nuerotoxins
Mutagens
Teratogens 
Carcinogens
Endocrine disrupters
27
Q

Define Allergens

A

Substances that cause overreaction of the immune system.

-most allergies not life threatening

28
Q

Define Neurotoxins

A

Substances that specifically attack nerve cells.

-nerve system regulates most body activities.

29
Q

Define mutagens

A

Agents (chemical/radiation) that damage or alter genetic material in cells.

30
Q

Define teratogens

A

Chemicals that cause abnormalities during embryonic growth.

31
Q

Define Carcinogens

A

Substances that cause cancer(invasive, out of control cell growth that results in malignant tumors)

  • 2nd leading cause of death in u.s.a.
  • killing over 500,000 per year
32
Q

Define Endocrine disrupters

A

Substances that interfere with hormone production & reproductive functions.

33
Q

What are the four toxins

A

Hydrocarbons
Heavy metals
Pesticides
Asbestos

34
Q

Define hydrocarbons

A

Compounds that contain hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon in their structure

35
Q

Define heavy materials

A

Chemical elements with a specific gravity that is at least five times the specific gravity of water (1g/CM3)

36
Q

Define specific gravity

A

Is a measure of density of a solid substance when it is compared to an equal amount of water

37
Q

Define Pesticides

A

DDT-synthetic pesticide manufactured in enormous quantities WWII to control malaria and typhus.

  • thought to be safe(sprayed directly on people).
  • DDT will not break down in human body
38
Q

Define asbestos

A

Group of fibrous minerals that have desirable physical properties
-sound/heat insulation

39
Q

What are the 3 exposure pathways

A

Inhalation
Absorption
Ingestion

40
Q

Define inhalation

A

Breathe in air-borne contaminants

  • asbestos
  • dust. (Heavy metals)
41
Q

Define absorption

A

Contaminates that can be picked up through direct touch

-absorbed through skin and transported to organs through blood stream.

42
Q

Define ingestion

A

Eating of toxic substances

43
Q

Characteristics of toxins

A

Persistence
Bioaccumulation
Biological magnification

44
Q

What at biological hazards

A

Pathogens

Infectious diseases

45
Q

Define infectious disease

A

Disease that are easily transmitted to people or organisms through the environment
-disease result of presence and growth of pathogens in a host organism

46
Q

Pathogens include

A

Viruses, bacteria & other microorganism
Fungi
Protozoa - single- celled animals
Parasites

47
Q

Define emerging diseases

A

Infectious disease that either were not previously found in humans or that existed in the past and are now becoming more common &geographically widespread today
-jumped from animal to human host

48
Q

Examples of emerging diseases

A

HIV/AIDS
Ebola
H1N1 virus. (Swine flu)

49
Q

Define reemerging diseases

A

I. D’s that’s were put under control (through better medicine improved living conditions) but are undergoing a resurgence
-previously treatable gained resistance to drugs

50
Q

Examples of reemerging diseases

A

Tuberculosis
Cholera
Malaria

51
Q

Cultural hazards are

A

Where you live

  • gender diff(women live longer on average than men)
  • occupation
  • lifestyle choices: smoking,drugs, overeating, sunbathing
52
Q

What are the 2 human health indicators

A

Life expectancy

Infant morality

53
Q

Define life expectancy

A

How long people are expected to live.

54
Q

Define infant morality

A

How many infants die before age of 1

55
Q

Life expectancy in U.S.A.

A

1900: women 51, men 48
2010: women 81.4, men 75.5,
- increase due to better medicine and sanitation improvements