Autumn Quarter 2012
Study Guide for Progress Assessment Test #2

This is the study guide for the second Environmental Health progress assessment test. Please remember that this is a guide, and not intended to exhaustively list all the topics that were covered in the second half of the course. Material from the lectures (including guest lecturers), textbook and required readings are fair game for the exam. Below are the key points from each topic that you should leave the class understanding, and that will help you prepare for the final exam. .

Format:

The exam will be similar to thefirst progress assessment test and will consist of 40 objective questions (multiple choice) and one or two short essay questions that will be designed to test your ability to integrate and synthesize the material presented in the lectures and the readings.

For each of the following program areas, each student should:

Zoonotic & Vectorborne Disease

• Be able to describe some of the major human diseases (measles, smallpox, etc.) related to domesticated animals, including the pathogen, usual reservoir and transmission cycle.
• Know the definition(s) of a vector and be able apply them.
• Know the vectors involved with the zoonotic diseases discussed in class and the book.
• Describe two ways in which zoonotic diseases can be transmitted to humans, and be able to provide an example of each.
• Describe the general vector-borne disease transmission cycle.
• Describe at least two vector-borne disease transmission cycles (e.g., plague, WNV, Lyme disease, Hantavirus, rabies).
• Explain how Integrated Pest Management can be used in public health efforts to prevent or control zoonotic disease.

Accidents and Injuries

• Know the definition of an accident and unintentional injuries.
• Know the population groups most affected by accidental injuries.
• Know the three identifying aspects of how injuries occur.
• Be able to discuss the accident syndrome and how to use this information to prevent accidents (hint: implement the engineering control strategies). 


Occupational Health and Safety

• Be able to describe the goal of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
• Be able to describe how OH&S fits within the practice of environmental public health and describe the trend in occupationally related fatalities, illnesses and injuries over the past decades
• Be able to describe the major pathways by which occupational injuries and diseases occur.
• Be able to define the terms: Hazard Recognition, Hazard Evaluation, and Hazard Control.

• Be able to apply the "engineering control strategies" to particular work situations in order to reduce occupational hazards.
  

Radiation

• Be able to describe the different types/examples of radiation and elucidate their health effects.
• Be able to identify different diseases associated with household and medical exposure to radiation.
• Be able to describe the difference between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and types/examples of each.
• Be able to apply the "engineering control strategies" to particular situations in order to reduce the risk of human exposure to radiation at levels likely to result in adverse health effects.

Noise Pollution

• Be able to define noise (sound), including the major components of a sound wave (frequency/pitch, amplitude), frequency units (hertz), and loudness units (decibels).
• Be able to describe how sound/noise is measured, and define and use the decibel scales.
• Be able to identify at what levels the various impacts of sound occur, i.e., know the sound levels of various environmental noise sources and the threshold for hearing loss.
• Be able to describe the mechanism and effects of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL).
• Be able to apply the "engineering control strategies" to particular situations in order to reduce the risk of NIHL.

Air Quality

• Be able to describe the structure (various layers) and composition of the atmosphere
• Be able to define air pollution and describe its causes.
• Be able to discuss the history and the pollution control efforts of the Clean Air Act.
• Be able to list the 6 criteria air pollutants for which National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)have been set, and identify their major sources, composition, and the environmental and human health effects of each.
• Be able to describe the difference between outdoor and indoor air quality, and what factors impact human health.
• Be familiar with the specific risk factors associated with children, and other at risk populations. For example “Childhood Asthma and Air Pollution” from the book.
• Be able to apply the "engineering control strategies" to particular situations in order to reduce the risk of air-borne contaminants.


Solid and Hazardous Wastes

• Be able to describe the sources of municipal waste and identify which materials constitute the largest portion of municipal solid waste (MSW) stream.
• Be familiar with the statutes and regulations that govern the disposal and treatment of solid waste, hazardous waste and describe the types of materials that fall under each category/regulation.
• Be able to describe the basic design of a sanitary landfill and the function of each of the major components of the system.
• Be able to describe the basic design of a typical waste-to-energy incineration facility and the function of each of the major components of the system.
• Be able to describe the steps prioritized by Washington State to eliminate waste (hint: “future”), and provide examples of waste reduction, waste reuse and waste recycling.
• Be able to apply the "engineering control strategies" to particular situations in order to reduce the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks.

Housing, the Built Environment and Health

• Be familiar with the basic principles of healthful housing.
• Be able to identify the major health effects caused or exacerbated by poor housing conditions.
• Be able to describe how one could use the four engineering strategies to protect residents from health hazards in the home.
• Be able to define urban sprawl and explain where and why it has developed.
• Be able to identify three environmental public health problems caused by or exacerbated by urban sprawl.


Samples Questions
(The most correct response is highlighted in bold print.)

1. Which of the following federal government agencies is responsible for ensuring (regulating) a “reasonably safe” working environment?
A. U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
B. U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. (ATF)
C. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
D. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)
E. None of the above.

2. Noise is best described as:
A. sound levels above 85 dbA.
B. sound levels above 85 dBC.
C. unwanted Sound.
D. sound frequencies below 60 Hertz.
E. sound frequencies aboe 60 Hertz.

3. Accidents are the leading cause of death for which of the following age groups?
A. Birth to 1 year
B. 1 - 15 year olds
C. 15 - 24 year olds
D. 25 - 34 year olds
E. All of the above

4. Solid Waste generation in the United States today is:
A. increasing on a per capita basis.
B. Decreasing on aper capita basis.
C. Essentially stable on a per capita basis.
D. unknown since it is not subject to federal regulation

5. A hazardous waste is regulated under the:
A. Resource Conservations and Recovery Act
B. Toxic Sunstances Control Act
C. Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
D. Occupational Safety & Health Act

6. Suburban sprawl has been associated with which of the following health problems?
A. Obesity
B. Asthma
C. Diabetes
D. Traffic accidents
E. All of the above.

7.  A zoonotic disease is best described as:
A. An arthropod which carries a pathogen to a new host
B. Disease transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans through various routes
C. Disease transmitted by a vector
D.  Any usual fatal or epidemic disease
E.  Asthma

8. The atmosphere extends from sea level to about 50 miles above the Earth's surface. It has been divided by scientists into three regions. In which of these regions do almost all life activities occur?
A. Mesosphere
B. Stratosphere
C. Stratopause
D. Troposphere
E. None of the above.

9. The definition of “Potentially Hazardous Food” includes all of the following except:
A. Raw or heat-treated food of animal origin
B. Dried foods with a water activity (Aw) value of 0.85 or less
C. Raw seed sprouts
D. Bottled garlic-in-oil mixtures that are not modified to prevent c. botulinum growth
E. All of the above are potentially hazardous foods

10. Which of the following hazards has been an environmental health concern since the appearance of Homo sapiens as a species?
A. Industrial Chemical Toxins
B. Over-nutrition
C. Contagious Disease
D. Vector-borne Disease
E. Untreated Wastewater