Envi Health
1. All of the following are conditions that meet the international Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) definition of a disaster except
a. 10 or more people reported killed b. 10 or more people reported affected c. Declaration of a state of emergency d. Call for international assistance Answer: b
2. The average American generated around ______ of municipal solid waste per day in 2012; this is up from around ______ per day in 1960 (EPA 2012)
a. 2.68 pounds, 3.42 pounds b. 3.42 pounds, 4.38 pounds c. 2.68 pounds, 4.38 pounds d. 0.52 pounds, 20.34 pounds Answer: c
In the United States, all of the following are examples of policies that regulate land use except
a. Zoning codes b. Subdivision regulations c. Comprehensive plans d. Ambient air quality standards Answer: d
1. According to the 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study (Murray et al. 2012), injuries accounted for ____ of the world's disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and were a top 10 cause of death worldwide
a. 1% b. 11% c. 41% d. 81% Answer: b
3. The United Nations (2014) estimates that, by 2025, what fraction of the world's population could be living under water-stressed conditions
a. 1/10 b. 1/4 c. 2/3 d. 3/4 Answer: c
Overweight and obesity are a costly and preventable epidemic in the United States and elsewhere; currently, _________ U.S. adults are considered overweight (BMI ≥ 25) (Ogden et al. 2014)
a. 1 in 4 b. 1 in 10 c. 2 in 4 d. 2 in 3 Answer: d
1. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the International Labor Organization, the estimated number of work-related fatalities per year exceeds ______ in the United States, and _____ worldwide
a. 47, 2.3 million b. 4,700, 2.3 million c. 4,700, 230 million d. 4.7 million, 2.3 million Answer: b
8. The percentage of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream that gets recycled grew from 6.4% in 1960 to _____ in 2012 (EPA 2012)
a. 8.0% b. 34.5% c. 58.2% d. 78.7% Answer: b
Approximately how many people lived in urban slums (i.e., without access to basic services such as potable water and sanitation) in 2013, according to United Nations estimates
a. 8.63 million b. 86.3 million c. 863 million d. 8.63 billion Answer: c
1. What percent of Earth's total volume of water is potentially available for human use (e.g., drinking, irrigation, other uses)
a. <1% b. 10% c. 50% d. 100% Answer: a
5. The cumulative effective dose of radiation to be received over time from an intake of radioactivity is called
a. Absorbed dose b. Effective dose c. Committed effective dose d. Collective effective dose Answer: c
10. Which of the following statements about asbestos is true?
a. As a naturally occurring fiber, asbestos is part of a healthy diet. b. While asbestos workers are at high risk of asbestos-related diseases, other kinds of exposure (such as in homes) are inconsequential. c. Asbestos exposure essentially ended with the advent of regulations in the 1970s. d. Asbestos-related diseases, including cancers and fibrotic lung disease, can appear years after exposure has ended. Answer: d
4. This popular herbicide used extensively on herbicide-resistant GM crops in the United States was recently designated a probable human carcinogen by the World Health Organization (Guyton et al. 2015)
a. Atrazine b. DDT c. Glyphosate d. Organophosphate Answer: c
3. The 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse, which killed 1,100 mostly female workers, is a reminder that, globally, many people work in ________
a. Bangladesh b. The garment/textile industry c. Dangerous structures d. Childhood Answer: c
6. Organophosphate pesticides, which exert their neurotoxicity by inactivating acetylcholinesterase, can trigger a potentially lethal _______ in humans
a. Cardiac episode b. Cholinergic crisis c. Anti-cholinergic crisis d. Serotonergic crisis Answer: b
8. Cells in the body that are particularly radiosensitive (i.e., sensitive to ionizing radiation) are those which
a. Contain chromosomes b. Contain outer shell electrons c. Are dividing d. Are atrophying Answer: c
3. All of the following are forms of ionizing radiation except
a. Cosmic rays b. Gamma rays c. X-rays d. Infrared Answer: d
All of the following are smart growth principles to promote equitable, healthy, and sustainable communities except
a. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices b. Strengthen and direct development towards unused farmland c. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective d. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions Answer: b
7. Major categories of attributes affecting vulnerability to disasters include all of the following except
a. Demographics (e.g., age, gender, family position) b. Education and personal experience c. Material resources d. Health status Answer: c
3. Nutrient (N and P) run-off into water bodies from agricultural fields where synthetic fertilizers have been applied excessively can create aquatic dead zones through a process known as ___________
a. Deoxygenation b. Hypoxification c. Harmful algal blooms d. Eutrophication Answer: d
4. The type of natural disaster with the highest mortality (mean number of deaths per event and deaths per 100,000 affected) and death-injury ratio is
a. Drought b. Earthquake c. Flood d. Tsunami Answer: d
9. Poison control centers are examples of which type of countermeasure against acute poisonings
a. Education b. Enforcement c. Engineering d. Environmental Answer: a
4. Of the three E's of injury control, which takes the least amount of voluntary cooperation from the people it is designed to protect
a. Education b. Enforcement c. Engineering d. Evaluation Answer: c
10. The most preferred external radiation protection strategy is
a. Eliminate the source b. Minimize exposure time c. Maximize distance from the source d. Shield the source Answer: a
1. Manufactured structures are widely used in each of the following settings EXCEPT:
a. Emergency housing b. Medical clinics c. Long-term housing d. Classrooms e. Construction offices Answer: b
12. Features of green buildings include:
a. Energy efficiency measures. b. Reduced use of hazardous chemicals. c. Attractive staircases to motivate walking. d. Natural daylighting. e. All of the above. Answer: e
9. Responsibility for enforcing food safety regulations in the United States is spread across which combination of agencies
a. FDA, USDA, USTR, state and local health departments b. FDA, USDA, EPA, state and local health departments c. NASA, FDA, USDA, state and local health departments d. NASA, USDA, EPA, state and local health departments Answer: b
9. A drinking water distribution system, with potentially hundreds of miles of pipes, is vulnerable to _________ and microbial ___________
a. Filtration, disinfection b. Leakage, residuals c. Cross-contamination, regrowth d. Chemical contaminants, toxins Answer: c
6. Which of the following is NOT a recommended strategy for reducing fire risk in buildings?
a. Fire escapes b. Stairways separated from interior spaces c. Asbestos insulation d. Nonflammable structural elements e. Sprinkler systems Answer: c
2. Water used as a drinking-water source is called _________
a. Groundwater b. Surface water c. Source water d. Receiving water Answer: c
10. The global epidemic of _______ is expected to increase, accompanying increased levels of ________ around the world
a. HIV/AIDS, needle stick injuries b. Road traffic injuries, motorization c. Poisonings, organochlorine pesticide use d. Self-directed violence, semi-automatic weapon availability Answer: b
6. Passage of workplace safety and worker protection laws typically follows major workplace disasters. Which of the following workplace tragedies marks the beginning of concerted government intervention in workplace safety in the United States
a. Hazardous conditions in Chicago meatpacking plants, brought to public attention in Upton Sinclair's The Jungle b. 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist fire in lower Manhattan c. 1907 Monongah Mine explosion in West Virginia d. Silicosis epidemic among African American tunnel diggers in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia during the Great Depression Answer: b
4. In the United States, the industry with the highest number of work-related injuries per year is _______ (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2014, 2015)
a. Health care and social assistance b. Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting c. Arts, entertainment, and recreation d. Transportation and warehousing Answer: a
9. Cities aiming to strengthen local ecological functioning and ecosystem services through reduced/renewable energy use, capturing/reusing rainwater, planting local vegetation, and other strategies, are referred to as __________
a. Healthy cities b. Green cities c. Eco-cities d. Sustainable cities Answer: c
3. Although technological disasters typically have higher mortality and injury rates, which type of natural disaster accounts for the greatest public health burden, in terms of overall numbers of deaths, people affected, and cost
a. Hydrometeorological b. Geophysical c. Thermal d. Mechanical Answer: a
2. Earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis are examples of which type of disaster
a. Hydrometeorological b. Geophysical c. Thermal d. Mechanical Answer: b
7. According to World Health Organization estimates (Prüss-Ustün et al. 2014), inadequate water, ______, and ________ are responsible for 56% of the 1.5 million deaths per year from diarrheal disease
a. Impoundment, flood control b. Channelization, dam construction c. Sanitation, flood control d. Sanitation, hygiene Answer: d
The _________ of late 19th century U.S. and Europe, when the connection between urban planning and infectious disease transmission became recognized, was a formative stage in public health history
a. Industrial revolution b. Urbanization movement c. Migration waves d. Sanitary movement Answer: d
9. In the United States, the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 requires U.S. EPA to set health-based tolerances for pesticides in food, in particular to protect ________
a. Infants and children b. Elderly people c. Immunocompromised people d. Low socioeconomic status people Answer: a
1. Energy, water, chemicals, knowledge, and labor are examples of food system ________
a. Influences b. Inputs c. Activities d. Outputs Answer: b
3. About 18,000 accidental deaths occur in homes each year in the United States. Each of the following accounts for a major proportion of these deaths EXCEPT:
a. Insect and rodent bites b. Falls c. Poisonings d. Burns Answer: a
2. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, millions of people were sheltered in manufactured structures ("FEMA trailers"). Which of the following contaminants raised major health concerns?
a. Lead b. DDT c. Formaldehyde d. Radon Answer: c
5. All of the following are among the 4 most commonly used classes of pesticides today except
a. Lead arsenate b. Organophosphates c. Carbamates d. Pyrethroids Answer: a
1. The introduction of DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and other ________ pesticides into agriculture after World War II changed pest control and food production worldwide
a. Lead-containing b. Arsenical c. Chlorinated d. Biological Answer: c
1. With electromagnetic radiation (i.e., energy traveling through space), as wavelength ______ and frequency _______, more energy is released at close range, potentially harming living things
a. Lengthens, increases b. Lengthens, decreases c. Shortens, increases d. Shortens, decreases Answer: c
8. Each of the following is one of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency's four types of mitigation measures except
a. Local plans and regulations b. Tertiary prevention c. Natural systems protection d. Education and awareness programs Answer: b
3. All of the following are major human diseases transmitted by mosquitoes except
a. Malaria b. Lyme disease c. Dengue fever d. West Nile virus Answer: b
7. Although DDT is banned in many Stockholm Convention countries because of concerns over chronic and ecological toxicity, the WHO (World Health Organization) supports its use in areas with persistent ________
a. Malnutrition b. Rodent infestation c. Malaria d. Lyme disease Answer: c
10. In the United States, the Safe Drinking Water Act mandates legal limits, called _____________, on the levels of chemical and microbiological contaminants allowed in drinking water provided by utilities serving 25 people or more
a. Maximum contaminant levels b. Maximum contaminant level goals c. Permissible exposure limits d. National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations Answer: a
7. Of all the human-made sources of ionizing radiation received annually by a U.S. resident, which type accounts for the largest percentage
a. Medical b. Consumer products c. Occupational d. Nuclear fallout Answer: a
5. Of the different types of special wastes in the United States, which one generates more volume than all the others combined
a. Medical waste b. Construction debris c. Mining waste d. Sewage sludge Answer: c
In the early 2000s, the world's urban population surpassed its rural population for the first time; in the future, the fastest growth will take place in _______ cities in ________.
a. Mega-cities, Asia b. Mega-cities, Europe & North America c. Small & medium-sized cities, Asia & Africa d. Small & medium-sized cities, Europe & North America Answer: c
10. Countries with limited resources to develop their own occupational safety and health standards can adopt those recommended by international organizations such as the ________
a. Mine Safety and Health Administration b. Sustainability Accounting Standards Board c. International Labour Organization d. International Workers' Union Answer: c
2. Almost half of U.S. cropland is used to grow __________ of _________ (U.S. EPA 2009); these can create economies of scale but also threaten biodiversity and are vulnerable to pest invasions and plant diseases.
a. Monocultures, wheat b. Monocultures, corn and soybeans c. Polycultures, wheat and corn d. Polycultures, wheat and vegetables Answer: b
5. The U.S. agency with jurisdiction over safety of infant cribs and similar items is called
a. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration b. Consumer Product Safety Commission c. American National Standards Institute d. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Answer: b
5. It was long thought that ________ was the solution to water pollution, something we now know is not accurate, especially for hydrophobic chemicals
a. Natural attenuation b. Dilution c. Eutrophication d. Channelization Answer: b
6. All of the following are types of morbidity that typically follow disaster events except
a. Noncommunicable disease b. Toxic exposures c. Burns d. Malnutrition Answer: c
7. The best waste management strategy from an environmental health standpoint is
a. Not to produce it in the first place b. Reuse/recycling c. Landfilling d. Burning in a waste-to-energy facility Answer: a
9. Epidemiological evidence for the carcinogenic effects of ionizing radiation comes from studies of all of the following subpopulations except
a. Nuclear medicine technicians b. Radium dial painters c. Underground hard rock miners d. Atomic bomb survivors Answer: a
4. The process by which heavy nitrogen and phosphorus loadings from human activities leads to algae blooms, increased microbial activity, and oxygen depletion in a receiving body is called ____________
a. Nutrient stimulation b. Chemical contamination c. Eutrophication d. Channelization Answer: c
7. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created _________, the primary U.S. federal agency responsible for setting and enforcing workplace safety regulations
a. Occupational Safety and Health Administration b. Occupational Safety and Health Agency c. Occupational Health and Safety Administration d. Occupational Health and Safety Agency Answer: a
2. Ionizing radiation contains sufficient energy to strip the _____ from an atom
a. Orbiting neutrons b. Orbiting protons c. Orbiting electrons d. Orbiting neutrinos Answer: c
7. If mold is discovered in a building, which of the following is a key part of the response?
a. Painting the affected area with mold-resistant paint. b. Identifying and removing sources of moisture. c. Applying pesticides. d. Demolition and replacement of the building. e. Diagnostic testing to determine what types of mold are present. Answer: b
1. In 2012, which type of material accounted for the largest percentage of the municipal solid waste stream in the United States (EPA 2012)
a. Paper b. Food scraps c. Plastics d. Glass Answer: a
8. Older pesticides (e.g., DDT), PCBs, and dioxins are examples of ________ that bioaccumulate and contaminate the global food chain
a. Persistent organic pollutants b. Mycotoxins c. Biological pathogens d. Potentially hazardous food Answer: a
2. The columns of the Haddon matrix, used successfully in the United States to conceptualize injury prevention opportunities, are titled
a. Phases, host, agent, environment b. Phases, host, vector, environment c. Phases, host, prevention, control d. Phases, prevention, control, response Answer: a
6. Which of the following is not generally considered a sustainable agricultural practice
a. Planting GM herbicide-resistant seeds b. Conservation tillage c. Integrated pest management d. Use of cover crops Answer: a
4. In low-income countries, the municipal solid waste stream tends to have more _______ and less _______ than in high-income countries
a. Plastics, organic material b. Organic material, paper c. Paper, yard trimmings d. Wood, metals Answer: b
3. All of the following are one of Haddon's 10 generic options for injury control except
a. Prevent creation of hazard b. Separate, by time or space, the hazard from the host c. Separate, by time or space, the host from the environment d. Stabilize, repair, and rehabilitate the injured person Answer: c
7. In the United States, which of the following food categories was responsible for the largest number of foodborne illness deaths from 1998 to 2008 (Painter et al. 2013)
a. Produce b. Meat and poultry c. Dairy and eggs d. Fish and shellfish Answer: b
8. Safe drinking water requires a _________ approach, incorporating source protection as well as treatment
a. Public health engineering b. Multibarrier c. Multi-stakeholder d. Disinfection Answer: b
8. Data are scarce but suggest that the following type of chemicals are responsible for the most poisoning fatalities in developing countries (Konradsen et al. 2003)
a. Radioactive wastes b. Heavy metals c. Pesticides d. Household cleaners Answer: c
9. Which of the following statements about radon is true?
a. Radon exposure combines synergistically with cigarette smoking, among smokers, to increase lung cancer risk. b. The major source of radon exposure for most people is air travel. c. Commercially available canisters can provide effective radon protection in most affected homes. d. In affected homes, radon levels are highest in the attic and lowest in the basement. Answer: a
4. Natural daylighting in buildings is associated with each of the following EXCEPT:
a. Reduced eye strain b. Reduced operating costs c. Improved subjective comfort d. Improved performance e. Reduced risk of cancer Answer: e
6. Recently, waterborne disease outbreaks in North America have been linked to exceptionally heavy rainfall and the resultant _________
a. Reservoir overflows b. Impoundment c. Ecological damage d. Flooding Answer: d
5. All of the following are KNOWN potential pathways for the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from animals to humans except
a. Resistant bacteria spread from to consumers via contaminated meat products b. Resistant bacteria spread to farm workers and food processors through contact with contaminated animals or meat c. Resistant bacteria spread to community residents via bats and raccoons d. Resistant bacteria spread to soil and water from contaminated animal waste Answer: c
10. ________ and _______ are examples of healthy community design policies that encourage physical activity and reduce automobile dependence
a. Ride Score, bundled parking b. Ride Score, unbundled parking c. Joint use policies, bundled parking d. Joint use policies, unbundled parking Answer: d
8. Children's exposure to pesticides used indoors, occupational exposures, and ______ are other public health concerns associated with widespread pesticide use
a. Self-poisoning b. Radionuclides c. Particulate air pollution d. Bacillus thuringiensis Answer: a
Reducing vehicle miles traveled in ____________ is a primary way to reduce air pollution and the resulting health consequences
a. Single-occupancy vehicles b. Older vehicles with outdated emissions control technologies c. Public transportation d. Diesel trucks and buses Answer: a
2. Cockroaches are not known to transmit any serious human diseases but cockroach antigen is an important risk factor for the development of
a. Skin rashes b. Head lice c. Epidemic typhus d. Asthma Answer: d
6. Which two federal laws govern solid and hazardous waste management in the United States today?
a. Solid Waste Disposal Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act b. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act c. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Act, Superfund Act d. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act Answer: d
9. In the United States, who bears the largest proportion of the cost of worker injuries
a. State and federal taxpayers b. State workers' compensation programs c. Families/out-of-pocket d. Private health insurance Answer: c
9. Modern sanitary landfills often have systems for collecting, storing, and treating ________, the liquid, organic waste decomposition product, sometimes contaminated with chemicals, that can migrate down and into local aquifers
a. Stormwater b. Wastewater c. Runoff d. Leachate Answer: d
10. Integrated pest management was developed in the 1960s as a comprehensive approach to pest control using a combination of methods, with ________ as a last resort
a. Structural maintenance b. Biological control agents c. Chemical pesticides d. Management and cultural practices Answer: c
7. Worldwide, _______ have the highest mortality rates from burns and drowning of any age group
a. Teenage males b. Adult males c. The elderly d. Children < 5 years old Answer: d
5. Good design can help prevent falls, a major public health concern for which of the following groups?
a. The elderly b. Cancer patients c. Infants d. Immigrants e. Low-income people Answer: a
5. First-generation immigrant (especially undocumented) workers in high-hazard occupations are especially vulnerable to workplace illness and injury for all of the following reasons except
a. They are less likely to report hazardous conditions b. They are less likely to pay state income tax c. They are less likely to receive compensation and medical benefits if injured d. They are unlikely to be represented by a union Answer: b
8. In the United States, regulatory tools for protecting workers include legally enforceable __________ for specific workplace chemicals
a. Threshold limit values b. Threshold exposure limits c. Permissible chemical concentrations d. Permissible exposure limits Answer: d
8. Mold in buildings is associated with each of the following EXCEPT:
a. Toxic responses to volatile organic compounds b. Immune responses such as asthma attacks c. Increased risk of cancer d. Infections among immunocompromised people Answer: c
4. Pesticides are classified by their target pest or their chemical structure and ______
a. Toxicity b. Mode of action c. Target organ d. Target crop Answer: b
5. The type of technological disaster with the highest mortality rate (deaths per 100,000 affected) and death-injury ratio is
a. Transportation b. Structure collapse c. Radiation d. Explosion Answer: a
4. The type of ultraviolet radiation that plays the most important role in sunburn and skin carcinogenesis is
a. UVA b. UVB c. UVC d. UVR Answer: b
All of the following features of urban sprawl have been associated with unintended negative health consequences except
a. Uniform setback requirements b. Separation of land uses through zoning c. Automobile-oriented transportation systems d. Divestment in central cities Answer: a
6. On average, which natural source of ionizing radiation accounts for the largest proportion of the natural background radiation dose to the general population
a. Uranium deposits in the Colorado Plateau b. Inhaled radon decay products c. 40K in bananas, spinach, broccoli, etc. d. 210Po and 210Pb in cigarette tobacco Answer: b
10. A major health concern associated with burning solid and hazardous waste, either in open-burning operations or incinerators, is the production of highly toxic chlorinated compounds collectively called ___________ that bioaccumulate in the food chain
a. Volatile organic compounds b. Dioxins c. Heavy metals d. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons Answer: b
6. Approximately half the 1.4 million deaths from intentional injury worldwide in 2012 (WHO 2013) were
a. War-related killings b. Terrorist attacks c. Suicides d. Family/partner violence Answer: c
11. Which of the following statements about sick building syndrome is true?
a. With advanced diagnostic technology, the specific cause can generally be determined. b. The cause of sick building syndrome is generally microbial. c. The symptoms people report in cases of sick building syndrome are usually nonspecific (such as headache, fatigue, dizziness, and rashes). d. Sick building syndrome became rare when energy efficiency practices in the 1970s led to more advanced building design. Answer: c
2. Estimating numbers of workplace injuries is difficult because of _______ while estimating numbers of work-related illnesses is difficult because of the ________ between hazardous exposures and the development of symptoms
a. Worker privacy concerns, weak association between b. Worker privacy concerns, time lag c. Underreporting, weak association between d. Underreporting, time lag Answer: d
10. The federal Farm Bill allocates billions of dollars to support the production of ______________ while providing little support for producing ___________.
a. organic food, processed foods b. fish, dairy c. sugar, corn and soybeans d. commodity corn and soybeans, fruits and vegetables Answer: d
3. According to World Bank estimates, per capita municipal solid waste generation in high-income countries is approximately _______ that of low-income countries (Hoornweg & Bhada-Tata 2012)
a. ½ b. 2 times c. 4 times d. 10 times Answer: c
