Unit 2 - Health issues + correlating risk factors

Question 1

State two types of diseases

Answer 1

Diseases, both communicable and non-communicable

Question 2

Give an example of communicable diseases

Answer 2

measles

Question 3

State the differences between communicable and non-communicable diseases

Answer 3

Communicable diseases are spread by pathogens such as bacteria or viruses.
Non-communicable diseases cannot be passed from person to person e.g. coronary heart disease

Question 4

Define health

Answer 4

Health is the state of physical and mental well-being.

Question 5

What can ill health be caused by

Answer 5

Ill health can be caused by communicable and non-communicable diseases

Question 6

Apart from diseases what can have an effect on both physical and mental health and cause ill health

Answer 6

Other factors including diet, stress and life situations e.g. working with harmful chemicals
may have a profound effect on both physical and mental health and cause ill health

Question 7

Give examples on non-communicable diseases

Answer 7

Cardiovascular diseases (includes CHD)
Type 2 diabetes
Most types of cancer

Coronary Heart Disease
Stroke
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD)
Autoimmune diseases
Skin cancer
Cystic fibrosis
Diabetes

Question 8

Explain how different types of diseases can interact

Answer 8

Defects in the immune system mean that an individual is more likely
to suffer from infectious diseases.

• Viruses living in cells can be the trigger for cancers.
• Immune reactions initially caused by a pathogen can trigger allergies
  such as skin rashes and asthma.
• Severe physical ill health can lead to depression and other mental
  illness.

Question 9

Describe how we can determine whether a risk factor is linked to a non-communicable disease

Answer 9

Scientists look very closely at people’s lifestyle habits to see if they could link any of these with a disease

Question 10

Define epidemiology

Answer 10

Studying the patterns of disease to determine risk factors is called epidemiology

Question 11

What does correlation not prove

Answer 11

Correlation does not prove cause.
A graph that shows the risk of developing lung cancer and the number of cigarettes smoked per day does not prove that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer. It simply suggests that they might be linked

Question 12

Define causal mechanism

Answer 12

A causal mechanism is something that explains how one factor influences another

Question 13

Define risk factor

Answer 13

Risk factors are aspects of a person’s lifestyle, or substances present in a person’s body or environment, that have been shown to be linked to an increased rate of a disease

Question 14

State some risk factors for disease

Answer 14

Genetic
Age
Family history
Gender
Ethnicity

Environmental
Second hand smoke
Ionising Radiation
UV light

Lifestyle
Diet
Obesity
Smoking
Blood pressure
Alcohol consumption
Lack of exercise

Question 15

Describe how sampling can be used to determine correlation

Answer 15

Scientists sample a group of people and then try to draw conclusions about the whole population

Scientists sample populations to determine risk factors

Scientists present their findings in graphical and numerical forms to identify if there are relationships between risk factors and certain disease

Scatter diagrams are used to identify correlations between two variables to determine if a factor - does increase the risk of developing a disease

Question 16

Define correlation

Answer 16

Similarities that may suggest a link or relationship between the two is known as a correlation

Question 17

How to avoid bias when sampling

Answer 17

To avoid bias, we need to take as large a sample as possible and it must be as random as possible

Question 18

What types of graphs are used to identify correlations

Answer 18

Scatter graphs are used to identify correlations between two variables to determine if a factor does increase the risk of developing a disease

Question 19

Describe and explain some risk factors for cardiovascular diseases

Answer 19

A diet high in fat and low in vegetables increases the levels of certain types of cholesterol in the blood. This increases the rate that fatty material build up in the arteries.
A diet high in salt can increase blood pressure, increasing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases

The risk of developing cardiovascular diseases is massively increased in people who smoke. This is because chemicals in cigarette smoke (such as tar and nicotine) damage the alveoli in the lungs and the endothelial lining of the arteries

But the risk is decreased in people who exercise regularly.

Question 20

Describe and explain the risk factor for lung disease and lung cancer

Answer 20

Smoking massively increases the risk of lung cancer. This is because cigarette smoke contains a number of chemicals which can trigger cancer. These are called carcinogens.
Also the chemicals in the cigarette smoke (such as tar and nicotine) damage the alveoli in the lungs and the endothelial lining of the arteries

Smoking also increases the risk of other lung diseases e.g. emphysema. These diseases are extremely unpleasant and lead to a very poor quality of life

Question 21

Describe and explain the effects of smoking on when pregnant (effects on unborn baby)

Answer 21

Smoking when pregnant increases the risk of miscarriage and premature birth. It can also lead to the baby being born with a low body-mass. This is because the carbon monoxide in the cigarette smoke reduces the amount of oxygen transported around the mother’s body, reducing the oxygen delivered to the foetus which will cause the foetus not to develop properly

Question 22

State lifestyle factors that can harm unborn babies

Answer 22

Drinking alcohol
Smoking

Question 23

Describe and explain the effects of drinking alcohol on the unborn baby

Answer 23

Drinking alcohol when pregnant can cause fetal alcohol syndrome. Children born with fetal alcohol syndrome can have learning difficulties and other mental or physical problems. This is because the neurones of the brain are damaged by alcohol, reducing brain function.

Question 24

What are pregnant women advised to do

Answer 24

Pregnant women are advised not to smoke or drink any alcohol

Question 25

Describe and explain the effects that drinking alcohol has on adults

Answer 25

Adults who drink alcohol excessively increase their risk of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. This is because the breakdown of alcohol by cells of the liver produces substances which can be toxic to the liver cells in high concentrations.

Alcohol can also affect the brain, leading to addiction and memory loss.This is because the neurones of the brain are also damaged by alcohol, it reduces the brain function.

Question 26

What do people with type 2 diabetes struggle to do

Answer 26

People with type 2 diabetes struggle to control their blood glucose levels

Question 27

What can type 2 diabetes lead to

Answer 27

Type 2 diabetes can lead to blindness or require the amputation of a limb

Question 28

State a risk factor for type 2 diabetes

Answer 28

Obesity caused by a poor diet
Obese people have a much higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is because the excess consumption of sugar as a result of poor diet reduces the body’s sensitivity to insulin

Question 29

Explain how risk factors can interact

Answer 29

Drinking excess alcohol can lead to obesity and then that increases the risk of type 2 diabetes

Question 30

Give an example and explain of an environmental risk factor

Answer 30

Radon is a radioactive has which increases your risk of developing lung cancer

Question 31

Define carcinogens

Answer 31

Carcinogens are agents that cause cancer or significantly increase the risk of developing cancer

Question 32

State the three components of tobacco smoke

Answer 32

nicotine
carbon monoxide
tar

Question 33

Explain the effect of nicotine on the human body

Answer 33

nicotine: is addictive /produces sense of calm/increases heat rate

Question 34

Explain the effect of CO on the body

Answer 34

carbon monoxide: poisonous/taken up by blood instead of oxygen

Question 35

Explain the effect of tar on the human body

Answer 35

tar: carcinogenic/damages lung tissue causing COPD

Question 36

Name three different carcinogens

Answer 36

tar from cigarette smoke,
* sunlight,
* X‑rays,
* alcohol.