APES Chapter 18
About this set
Created by:
FranklyDarko on December 15, 2009
Log in to favorite or report as inappropriate.
Order by
47 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 risk | the measure of the likelihood that you will suffer harm from a hazard |
| biological hazards | pathogens |
| chemical hazards | traces of these in air, water, soil, and food |
| physical hazards | fire, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions |
| cultural hazards | smoking, poor diet, unsafe sex, drugs, working conditions, poverty |
| nontransmissible disease | cannot spread from one person to another |
| transmissible | can spread from person to person |
| transmissible vectors | pets, livestock, wild animals, mosquitoes, food, water, air |
| pneumonia and flu | the two biggest killers worldwide for disease |
| germ resistance | caused by the overuse of antibiotics and development of resistant species |
| DDT | chemical that prevents malaria through use on homes and crops |
| toxic chemical | causes temporary or permanent harm and possibly death |
| mutagens | chemicals or forms of radiation that can cause or increase the frequency of mutations in DNA |
| teratogens | chemicals that cause harm or birth defects to a fetus or embryo |
| carcinogens | chemicals that cause or promote cancer |
| immune system | specialized cells and tissues that protect the body against disease and harmful substances |
| nervous system | consists of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves |
| endocrine system | secretes hormones and other items into the blood |
| innocent until proven guilty | in the US, chemicals are considered... |
| 42 million | this many people worldwide were reported to have HIV as of 2005 |
| risk assessment | the scientific process of estimating how much harm a particular hazard can cause to human health or the environment |
| risk management | deciding whether or how to reduce a particular risk to a certain level |
| bioterrorism | the deliberate release of disease-causing bacteria and viruses into air, water supply or food supply of a concentrated population |
| epidemic | large spread outbreak of an infectious disease in a specific area or country |
| pandemic | worldwide epidemic |
| 1.7 million | tuberculosis kills this many people per year worldwide |
| oral rehydration therapy | prevents death from dehydration for victims of diarrheal diseases |
| cautionary principle | preliminary but not conclusive evidence that a chemical causes significant harm should spur preventative action |
| nonthreshold dose | any dosage of a toxic chemical causes harm that increases with dosage |
| threshold dose | a determining dosage must be reached before any detectable harmful effects occur |
| epidemiological studies | compare the health of people exposed to a particular chemical with the health of a similar group not exposed |
| hormesis | toxic substances that can harm or kill us may have beneficial health effects at very low doses |
| ecological medicine | devoted to tracking down the connections between wildlife and humans while looking for ways to slow or prevent the spread of such diseases |
| metastasis | malignant cells break off from tumors and travel in body fluids to other parts of the body |
| hormonally active agents | HAA |
| multiple chemical sensitivity | individuals sensitive to many toxins |
| persistence | resistance to break down |
| bioaccumulation | molecules absorbed and stored in the body at higher than normal levels |
| biomagnification | predators in food chains gain a higher level of toxic chemicals in their bodies because they eat the smaller prey affected |
| antagonistic reactions | reduce the harmful effects of chemicals |
| synergistic interactions | multiply the harmful effects of chemicals |
| response | the type or amount of health damage that results from chemical exposure |
| acute effect | immediate harmful reaction to exposure to a chemical |
| chronic effect | permanent consequences of exposure to a chemical |
| risk analysis | identifying hazard and evaluating, ranking, and determining options about and making decisions about reducing or eliminating risks |
| risk communication | informing the public about risks |
| poverty | this is responsible for the largest number of premature deaths and reduced lifespans |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.