HSCI 204 MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS
COMPLETE WITH 100% VERIFIED
ANSWERS
\.Definition of Environmental Health - ANSWERS-1. Broad view of the
environment: ex. physical, social, etc
2. Goal is to minimize adverse health effects caused by environmental hazrads
\.Why is environmental health important? - ANSWERS-1. There are enormous
impacts at teh population level
2. everyone is affected (widespread)
3. Inherently interdiscplinary
4. Overlaps with many fields
5. Small effects at the individual level
--> which makes it difficult
\.Historically, info about enviromental health came from 2 sources. - ANSWERS-1.
Anecdotal occupational observations; workers would experience a rare disease
with unexpected frequency
ex. Chimney workers would have hella lung cancer
2. Disasters/sudden unexpected events that would lead to a negative health
impacts
,ex. the Mimata disaster; mercury got thrown in the ocean and fish ate it-
biomagnification, then humans ate it and got mercury poisoning
\.Change in perception of environmental health - ANSWERS-in the 1970s:
Due to:
- Publication of Silent spring in 1962: Rachel Carson was a big environemntal
health advocate and wrote about how we need to be more cautious with using
pesticides and this led to a global impact of widespread recognition and concern
- Events at Love Canal: Love Canal was used as dumpster site and as trash
accumulated there, toxic chemicals also started to appear and with homes so
close by, many ppl were affected and many had to be evacuated- events were
widely reported
\.Major Public Health Achievements - ANSWERS-1. Mortality dropped due to
better/cleaner drinking water
2. Decrease in lead in our air
\.Environnmental risk transition - ANSWERS-As countries get more developed
(wealth increase), Household risks will fall (sanitation), community risks with rise
then fall (urban pollution) and global risks will rise (global warming)
\.Where should we intervene? The pyramid - ANSWERS-1. Elimination: Physically
remove hazard
2. Sublimation: Replace hazard
3. Engineering control: Make physical modifications to control hazard
4. Administrative control: Change the way ppl work
,5. PPE: Personal Protective Gear (least effective)
\.Where should we intervene? 3 ways- ex air pollution - ANSWERS-1. At the
source: Reduce emissions (less vehicle mileage)
2. Along the pathway: Move houses farther from roads
3. At the household level: Make ppl wear masks, keep windows closed
\.Environmental hazards are - ANSWERS-upstream forces
ex. transportation-> co2 emissions -> pollution
\.The Lancet commision on Pollution and health - ANSWERS-Ppl tend to only focus
on acute/immediate threats and don't seem to recognize chronic illnesses where
the cause isn't as obvious
\.Leading of causes of Death graph: what doesn't it tell us? - ANSWERS-1. When
ppl are dying
2. Things other than death (quality of life) -How long have ppl been sick
3. Upstream causes
\.Key limitations of "how many ppl die of__?" - ANSWERS-Doesn't tell when ppl
are dying ( child's death is equal to an old persons)
\.Key limitations of "how many ppl die from__ and at what age?" - ANSWERS-
Doesn't tell us how their quality of life was; doesn't give any info on illnesses that
affect us in ways other than death
, \.Best graph: "How many ppl die from___, at what age, how long were they
disabled by___ and how severe was it?" - ANSWERS-Still limitations like upstream
forces
\.DALY= YLL (years life lost)+ YDL (years lived w/ disability) - ANSWERS-Disability
Adjusted Life Years: Represents dying prematurely and living at a less ideal life
\.GBD - ANSWERS-Global burden of disease
\.Counterfactual vs current exposure - ANSWERS-Counterfactual represents
exposure at an alternate situation whereas current is teh actual: this can help us
imagine an alternate situation with less exposure
\.The prevention paradox - ANSWERS-The highest risk ppl are a very small group
that make up a small amounts of death whereas the bigger majority have a
smaller risk but most of our deaths come from them
ex. 99% of ppl dont live in ideal air conditions; pollution only gives a small increase
risk of death at teh individual level but thats for teh entire 99%.
\.GBD still has many things to work on - ANSWERS-1. Certain exposure-outcome
relationships
2. Uncertainties in exposure assesments
3. 1-1 pairs don't work on climate change
4. The cut of on a continuous disease
5. Disability weights 9how to assign a proper number to a disability)
COMPLETE WITH 100% VERIFIED
ANSWERS
\.Definition of Environmental Health - ANSWERS-1. Broad view of the
environment: ex. physical, social, etc
2. Goal is to minimize adverse health effects caused by environmental hazrads
\.Why is environmental health important? - ANSWERS-1. There are enormous
impacts at teh population level
2. everyone is affected (widespread)
3. Inherently interdiscplinary
4. Overlaps with many fields
5. Small effects at the individual level
--> which makes it difficult
\.Historically, info about enviromental health came from 2 sources. - ANSWERS-1.
Anecdotal occupational observations; workers would experience a rare disease
with unexpected frequency
ex. Chimney workers would have hella lung cancer
2. Disasters/sudden unexpected events that would lead to a negative health
impacts
,ex. the Mimata disaster; mercury got thrown in the ocean and fish ate it-
biomagnification, then humans ate it and got mercury poisoning
\.Change in perception of environmental health - ANSWERS-in the 1970s:
Due to:
- Publication of Silent spring in 1962: Rachel Carson was a big environemntal
health advocate and wrote about how we need to be more cautious with using
pesticides and this led to a global impact of widespread recognition and concern
- Events at Love Canal: Love Canal was used as dumpster site and as trash
accumulated there, toxic chemicals also started to appear and with homes so
close by, many ppl were affected and many had to be evacuated- events were
widely reported
\.Major Public Health Achievements - ANSWERS-1. Mortality dropped due to
better/cleaner drinking water
2. Decrease in lead in our air
\.Environnmental risk transition - ANSWERS-As countries get more developed
(wealth increase), Household risks will fall (sanitation), community risks with rise
then fall (urban pollution) and global risks will rise (global warming)
\.Where should we intervene? The pyramid - ANSWERS-1. Elimination: Physically
remove hazard
2. Sublimation: Replace hazard
3. Engineering control: Make physical modifications to control hazard
4. Administrative control: Change the way ppl work
,5. PPE: Personal Protective Gear (least effective)
\.Where should we intervene? 3 ways- ex air pollution - ANSWERS-1. At the
source: Reduce emissions (less vehicle mileage)
2. Along the pathway: Move houses farther from roads
3. At the household level: Make ppl wear masks, keep windows closed
\.Environmental hazards are - ANSWERS-upstream forces
ex. transportation-> co2 emissions -> pollution
\.The Lancet commision on Pollution and health - ANSWERS-Ppl tend to only focus
on acute/immediate threats and don't seem to recognize chronic illnesses where
the cause isn't as obvious
\.Leading of causes of Death graph: what doesn't it tell us? - ANSWERS-1. When
ppl are dying
2. Things other than death (quality of life) -How long have ppl been sick
3. Upstream causes
\.Key limitations of "how many ppl die of__?" - ANSWERS-Doesn't tell when ppl
are dying ( child's death is equal to an old persons)
\.Key limitations of "how many ppl die from__ and at what age?" - ANSWERS-
Doesn't tell us how their quality of life was; doesn't give any info on illnesses that
affect us in ways other than death
, \.Best graph: "How many ppl die from___, at what age, how long were they
disabled by___ and how severe was it?" - ANSWERS-Still limitations like upstream
forces
\.DALY= YLL (years life lost)+ YDL (years lived w/ disability) - ANSWERS-Disability
Adjusted Life Years: Represents dying prematurely and living at a less ideal life
\.GBD - ANSWERS-Global burden of disease
\.Counterfactual vs current exposure - ANSWERS-Counterfactual represents
exposure at an alternate situation whereas current is teh actual: this can help us
imagine an alternate situation with less exposure
\.The prevention paradox - ANSWERS-The highest risk ppl are a very small group
that make up a small amounts of death whereas the bigger majority have a
smaller risk but most of our deaths come from them
ex. 99% of ppl dont live in ideal air conditions; pollution only gives a small increase
risk of death at teh individual level but thats for teh entire 99%.
\.GBD still has many things to work on - ANSWERS-1. Certain exposure-outcome
relationships
2. Uncertainties in exposure assesments
3. 1-1 pairs don't work on climate change
4. The cut of on a continuous disease
5. Disability weights 9how to assign a proper number to a disability)
