Survey of Environmental Health - Final Exam Questions
a disease-specific gene variant is called:
a susceptibility gene
picture of the external elevator that's common in construction/demolition worksites: is this an active or passive control measure?
active
when two chemicals as a mixture produce an effect that is equal to their individual effects taken together?
additive
globally, what's the greatest contributor to aquifer depletion and water scarcity?
agriculture
example of a passive control strategy for injury prevention
airbags in cars
link the exposure assessment method with the description: prediction of future exposure using historical occupational monitoring data
imputing or modeling
metabolic biotransformation of xenobiotics usually results in...
increasing water solubility thereby favoring excretion
articles: what is the general hazard in both of the manuscripts?
ionizing radiation
which of the following bacteria is an emerging foodborne pathogen and is able to grow at 4 deg Celsius (refrigerator temperature)
listeria monocytogenes
what is the primary health effect associated w exposure to the mycotoxin Aflatoxin B1?
liver cancer
example of an active control strategy for injury prevention
manual seatbelts in cars
link the exposure assessment method with the description: estimating exposure by detection of chemicals, metabolites, elements, or other evidence of exposure in biological materials from indivdualsmeasuring biomarkers
measuring biomarkers
link the exposure assessment method with the description: estimation of community-wide PM exposure using statewide air pollution monitoring data
measuring environmental exposure
describe the following prevention strategy for PH practice and provide an example: secondary
-focused on preventing specific disease occurrence especially in at-risk populations -ex: pap-smears for women 21+
what are the 3 primary routes by which humans are exposed to toxins/toxicants?
-inhalation -ingestion -dermal
which type of ionizing radiation is most likely to be considered an "external" radiation hazard?
-gamma rays bc they easily penetrate biological material and need lead shielding
what are the two use classes of pesticides under FIFRA (the Federal Insecticide Funicide and Rodenticide Act)?
-general use pesticides -restricted use pesticides
what are the 4 steps of the risk assessment process?
-hazard identification -dose-response assessment -exposure assessment -risk characterization
why is it possible to longitudinally biomonitor over several years for Uranium but not for Iodine 131?
-embedded fragments of uranium cause constant DU exposure for affected veterans, so it's still possible to measure -Iodine 131 only has 8-day half life, and the monitoring sites were destroyed at the time of the event, so exposure info for 131I is difficult to obtain
what features do Dioxins, Organochlorine pesticides, and Poly chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have in common?
-environmental persistence -all are chlorinated hydrocarbons
give and example of an HACCP critical control point
(some specific process point @ which contamination occurs) ex: requiring food service employees to wash hands before returning to work
describe the following prevention strategy for PH practice and provide an example: tertiary
-focused on preventing or reducing the onset of symptoms in an individual for a certain disease -ex: diabetic care for someone who is diabetic
what is the difference between acute and chronic exposure?
-acute is an exposure over a short amount of time, typically from minutes to days -chronic exposure to something (like a pollutant/toxic) is more long-term and can last years
describe the following prevention strategy for PH practice and provide an example: primary
-aimed at preventing the occurrence of a disease in an individual or community -ex: vaccinations
10 essential services of PH
-assessment (monitor health, diagnose & investigate) -policy development (inform educate empower, mobilize community partnerships, develop policies) -assurance (enforce laws, link to/provide care, assure competent workforce, evaluate)
why is the DALY concept a better metric of disease burden in the developing world than mortality rates?
-bc many injuries do not end in fatality (ex: mental health problems) -DALYs tell us more about how the disease affected an individuals life (YLL + YLD), rather than reporting on how many people it killed
toxic compounds are classified in 3 major ways...
-chemical class -source of exposure -target organ
give 2 specific examples of sensitive sub-populations in toxicology
-children -pregnant women
lead exposure can arise from:
-lead paint used in homes -certain types of pottery -lead dusts brought home from work -tap water from soldered pipes
why is it often difficult to link carcinogenesis specifically to occupational exposures?
-long latency period between exposure and onset of disease -high occupational turnover rates
the fact that journalists seek "news worthy" stories can be problematic for risk communicators. this represents...
-media selectivity -media bias
what are the primary environmental health concerns associated with ballast water releases?
-pathogens including bacteria & viruses -invasive species
briefly explain how the negative dominance theory applies to risk communication?
-people tend to focus on negative events over positive ones when presented w new info -this is important in risk communication bc you may need to present the public with several positive messages in order to overcome a negative message to shift their focus
the practice of industrial hygiene (IH) is based on the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of hazards in the workplace. give 1 example of this distinct IH exposure control strategy: engineering controls
-physical changes to equipment in workplace
what are the 3 most important factors associated with exposure dose levels?
-shielding -distance -time
the criteria for inferring causality in epidemiologic studies include:
-strength -consistency -temporality -biological gradient
mercury poisoning due to use of fungicide treated grain for bread making was an issue in Iraq in the 1970s...what primary prevention strategy/strategies could have avoided this disaster?
-verifying that the local population understood the meaning of the skull and crossbones as an indication of toxicology -not using Hg containing fungicides to begin with -education regarding the dangers of using fungicide treated grain for anything but planting
briefly explain how to mental noise model can hinder successful risk communication
-when presented with new info, people tend to get stressed (and experience "mental noise") when trying to process this information -this makes it harder for ppl to fully process new info being presented to them, and therefore unable to take the next appropriate steps
limit the concentration of environmentally harmful agents in air, water, or soil
Ambient standards
articles: which study conducted a more robust expsure assessment?
Depleted Uranium Gulf War article bc more accurate way of measuring exposure by taking urine samples instead of just judging exposure by the participant's location...this gave them more specific data on their exposure to DU, rather than an estimate like in the other.
limit the discharges from sources of pollution.
Emission standards, or effluent standards
are used when individual dosimeters can measure with precision just how much contamination an individual is exposed to.
Exposure standards
the sequencing of the human genome in 2001, in itself, has provided many answers about the basis of chronic disease. True or False?
FALSE
(in graph) - if mortality is the response, ~42 mg/kg represents the...
LD50, EC50
does Organophosphate persist in the environment for long periods of time?
No
(Organochlorine OR Organophosphate) insecticides have been associated with increases in resistant insect populations.
Organochlorine
(Organochlorine OR Organophosphate) insecticides are chemically related to chemical warfare agents such as nerve gas.
Organophosphate
specify the permissible materials content of a given item.
Product standards
disaster mitigation is a type of ___________ prevention
SECONDARY prevention
example of a structural measure for primary prevention of environmental disaster risk
a physical change to architectural design of something, such as including enough emergency exits in a building, is an example of a structural measure
(graph) which one of the wood dust extracts contain the most efficacious ligands in this bioassay?
Teak
(graph) which one of the wood dust extracts contain the most potent ligans in this bioassay?
Teak
specify the use of a particular engineering design for a piece of equipment.
Technology standards
to ensure the safety of all drinking water from the public tap water supply in the US, standards are set by the:
USEPA
describe specific procedures that must be followed to limit releases of material or to reduce exposure
Work practice standards
does Organochlorine persist in the environment for long periods of time?
Yes
example of a non-structural measure for primary prevention of environmental disaster risk
a law or policy is an example of a non-structural measure
give a specific example of an environmental hazard. does this hazard necessarily pose health risk? why/why not?
an example of an environmental hazard is lead paint in homes. it MAY OR MAY NOT pose a health risk depending on how much lead is ultimately consumed over what period of time (and depending on the individual)
the Fukushima nuclear disaster was due to an earthquake and tsunami...the Chernobyl nuclear accident was due to human error. both result in radiation exposure to local and distant populations...from the POV of a disaster risk management and response, would you anticipate different types of injuries associated with these two nuclear disasters?
anticipate different injuries for both (WHY?!?!?)
the herbicide Atrazine is considered an "environmental estrogen"...what is true about Atrazine?
associated with feminization of reptiles and amphibians
the Fukushima nuclear disaster was due to an earthquake and tsunami...the Chernobyl nuclear accident was due to human error. both result in radiation exposure to local and distant populations...Fukushima disaster should be consider a __________ disaster
both natural and technological
coagulation during water treatment is designed to:
cause small suspended particles to form large aggregates of particles
what pollution prevention strategy is the least preferred by the USEPA?
clean up
CTD
cumulative trauma disorder
Depleted Uranium Gulf War article: specific hazard?
depleted uranium exposure
conceptually food safety and food security mean...
different things!
note that the pic of the elevator door with the #3 on it has a latch on the exterior side...every door has a latch that prevents it from being opened from the inside. what type of industrial hygiene control strategy is this an example of?
engineering control strategy
an example of in vitro testing for toxicology is...
experiments with cells derived from human sources
in order to have actual health risks, what two factors must be present?
exposure x hazard = RISK
True of False: integrated pest management strategies rely solely on pesticide application for pest management.
false
True or False: pesticides are not used in Integrated Pest Management
false
Depleted Uranium Gulf War article: target tissue or biomolecule?
gene or DNA
one reason people may respond differently to exposure to toxic substances is due to...
genetic variability within the population.
in the US, physicians who practice with a focus on environmental health are most likely to work for..
government organizations such as the CDC
risks that are perceived to be the result of involuntary or imposed activities are likely to be judged to be _____ in severity than risks from voluntary activities
greater
which aspect of risk assessment is characterized by the question "does the agent cause adverse effects"?
hazard identification
HACCP is important in preventing foodborne illness. pathogenic microbes are present in the intestines of animals destined to become processed food. these microbes represent:
hazards
link the exposure assessment method with the description: estimation of PM exposure by direct sampling of air in the breathing zone of individual study participants or community members
measuring personal exposure
the practice of industrial hygiene (IH) is based on the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of hazards in the workplace. give 1 example of this distinct IH exposure control strategy: administrative controls
methods/procedures put in place to ensure safety such as allowing workers to take breaks
BT- toxin iteself is an example of which type of pesticide?
microbial
what is the primary health effect associated with exposure to the mycotoxin Fumonisin B1?
neural tube defects
are pesticides all synthetic chemicals?
no
are pesticides always the best weapon against insect pests?
no
are pesticides always toxic to humans?
no
a reference dose set by the USEPA corresponds to a lifetime exposure level with...
no anticipated negative health effects.
which federal regulatory standard governs this type of hazard?
occupational health and safety administration (OSHA)
(Organochlorine OR Organophosphate) insecticides are acutely toxic to mammals.
organophosphate
BT- corn is an example of which type of pesticide?
plant incorporated
picture of the external elevator that's common in construction/demolition worksites: what's the primary hazard?
potential for someone to fall out of elevator/building
what type of interaction btwn 2 chemicals causes one chemical that is not toxic to become more toxic?
potentiative
Bacillus thruingiensis- corn (BT- corn) is a genetically modified organism in which a gene for a microbial toxin has been inserted into a genome of a corn plant. This confers insect resistance to the plant in the absence of external pesticide application. This is a ______ prevention strategy for exposure to externally applied pesticide residues.
primary prevention strategy
Thyroid Cancer/Fukushima article: how was exposure assessed?
proximity to Fukushima nuclear power plant
Thyroid Cancer/Fukushima article: specific hazard?
radioactive elements (131I, 134Cs, 133Cs) released
RMI
repetitive motion injury
fish advisories are consumption-based state or local regulations put in place to mitigate health risks associated w eating mercury-contaminated seafood. these legal regulations are an example of what type of prevention strategy?
secondary
the healthy worker effect occurs when occupational cohorts are compared to the general population. workers tend to be healthy enough for work and are on average healthier than the general population. the healthy worker effect is a type of...
selection bias
what pollution prevention strategy is the most preferred by the USEPA?
source reduction
concerns ab neurotoxicity brought about the replacement of tetraethyllead (TEL) with non-neurotoxic methyl tert-butrl ether (MTBE) in gasoline. this is an example of which of the following exposure prevention strategies?
substitution
toxic compounds are classified in 3 major ways, which classification is preferred for the study of human health outcomes?
target organ is preferred
the Fukushima nuclear disaster was due to an earthquake and tsunami...the Chernobyl nuclear accident was due to human error. both result in radiation exposure to local and distant populations...Chernobyl meltdown should be considered a __________ disasater
technological
what type of disaster is described in the previous question? (mercury poisoning due to use of fungicide treated grain for bread making was an issue in Iraq in the 1970s...what primary prevention strategy/strategies could have avoided this disaster?)
technological disaster
an advantage of laboratory-based exposure studies is...
the ability to control for potentially confounding factors
average daily doses in health risk assessments are often based on standard assumptions parameters for body weight and media (food, water) in take rates. give an example of a hypothetical potential problem regarding assumptions when health risk assessments are carried out in sensitive subpopulation?
the problem is the assumption may not reflect the at-risk population
not adequately controlling for confounders and bias can lead epidemiological researchers to make false conclusions about...
the relationship between an exposure and a disease
why are community-based participatory research (CBPR) designs appropriate for environmental public health practice?
they involve the community members as participants in the research process
Thyroid Cancer/Fukushima article: target tissue or biomolecule?
thyroid
Chromium III is an essential micronutrient while Chromium VI is a known carcinogen. Inorganic Arsenic is highly toxic while organic Arsenic has low bioavailability and toxicity. these two facts demonstrate that...
toxicity is often dependent on the chemical state of the metal
the incidence of foodborne illness is significantly...
underreported
Depleted Uranium Gulf War article: how was exposure assessed?
urine biomonitoring for Uranium
the practice of industrial hygiene (IH) is based on the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of hazards in the workplace. give 1 example of this distinct IH exposure control strategy: personal protective equiptment
vibration dampening gloves
exposure assessment refers to the question of:
what exposures are currently experienced or anticipated under different conditions?
WMSD
work-related musko-skeletal disorder
(graph) are the chemically induced detectable dose-responsive changes in gene expression in this system an example of a gene X environment interaction?
yes
picture of the external elevator that's common in construction/demolition worksites: does this control measure appear to be sufficient to prevent potential exposure to the primary hazard for both workers and pedestrians?
yes b/c workers can hold onto it...does not allow door to open from inside prevents them from falling and harming pedestrians/injuring themselves
