Test your basic knowledge |

Introduction To Health Sciences Vocab

Subject : health-sciences
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A form of energy that can be described as either a wave or as a flow of 'packets' of energy. It includes gamma rays - X-rays - ultraviolet - visible light - infrared - microwaves and radio waves. The different types of radiation are distinguished by






2. A mathematical adjustment that enables disease and mortality rates to be compared from countries with different age-structures - i.e. different proportions of young - middle-aged and older people in their populations. The method involves taking a ver






3. A global strategy to combat trachoma - involving eyelid surgery - antibiotic treatment - attention to facial cleanliness and environmental changes.






4. The cells associated with peripheral neurons that wrap themselves around the axons.






5. In screening - a person whose screening test result is negative (indicating no disease) - and who actually does not have the disease.






6. Building replacement tissues to aid repair following damage.






7. A substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical reactions. It consists only of the atoms characteristic - e.g. hydrogen (H) - oxygen (O) - nitrogen (N) - sodium (Na) - chlorine (Cl) - mercury (Hg). There are 92 naturally oc






8. A break in one of the helical strands of a DNA molecule - caused by ionising radiation.






9. An epidemic on a world-wide scale.






10. The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.






11. An aspect of a characteristic that represents an adaptive compromise between two opposing evolutionary pressures; e.g. the human pelvis represents a compromise between being narrow - Which is necessary for running at speed - and being wide - Which is






12. The share of the total morbidity in a population Which is due to a particular cause; it is usually expressed as a percentage.






13. A group of enzymes that degrade proteins by splitting the protein chain into smaller molecules; also called a 'protease'.






14. A thick ring of muscle that controls pupil size - thereby regulating the amount of light that enters the eye. It forms the coloured portion of the eye.






15. A state of inadequate supply of oxygen to the brain and other vital organs - often as a result of severe blood loss.






16. A condition in which the immune system fails to respond normally to an infection; it can be caused by a genetic defect and by HIV/AIDS - as well as by malnutrition.






17. A measure of the amount of energy from ionising radiation absorbed per kilogram of tissue. It is measured in units of grays where 1 Gy = 1 joule per kilogram.






18. Structures in the kidney that filter the blood and produce the urine.






19. A condition that may develop following exposure to an extremely stressful situation - typically where a person witnesses the violent death of someone else - or believes their own life is in danger. Symptoms include disordered sleeping - a dread of si






20. A type of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in which new blood vessels form in an attempt to restore the blood supply to the retina. The new vessels are fragile - and may leak blood into the eye.






21. An eye-surgery technique where the epithelial layer of the eye is removed and laser treatment applied to the tissues exposed beneath (abbreviated to PRK).






22. Any fracture where the skin has not been broken.






23. A technique in which a person is placed in a particular psychological state and - in response to suggestions made by the hypnotist - can experience alterations in perception - memory and voluntary action.






24. A condition in which a person exceeds a certain threshold for the proportion of body weight that consists of fat. In most assessments based on body mass index - a BMI of greater than 30 is defined as clinically obese.






25. A process whereby a stimulus that owes its power to conditioning loses this power by being repeatedly presented on its own; e.g. the ceasing of the capacity of a bell to trigger salivation occurs if the bell is repeatedly sounded - but without food b






26. Diseases or disorders that develop as a result of the interaction over time of a combination of different risk factors - none of which on its own would be likely to cause the disease. These may include the inheritance of certain gene mutations from a






27. The curved transparent layer that covers the front part of the eye. This (together with the lens) refracts light to form of an image on the retina - as well as protecting the eye from frontal damage.






28. Severe psychological shock.






29. An event that follows a particular behaviour and which strengthens the tendency to repeat that behaviour. For example - if relaxation follows drinking alcohol it would be said to reinforce the tendency to drink alcohol.






30. An activity where the eye is constantly focused on objects nearby (e.g. reading).






31. High blood pressure in the blood vessels supplying the lungs - a sign that blood flow is restricted in some way.






32. The total number of people who have the condition (disease - disorder or disability) at a particular point in time - regardless of how long they have been affected.






33. A test that evaluates how well the lungs work; also known as a pulmonary function test.






34. Substances in which an interaction or reaction occurs - or in which an event takes place - or chemicals or objects are transported or supported - e.g. a medium through which a wave is transmitted in the refraction of light.






35. The number of cases of a disease - disorder or disability in a population - relative to the total number of people at risk of developing it; usually expressed as the number of cases per 1000 (or per 10 000 - or per 100 000 or per million) population.






36. A hormone Which is normally secreted by the brain in response to decreased water levels in the body. When alcohol is drunk - ethanol acts on the brain and inhibites the release of this - allowing the kidneys to make more urine.






37. The cultivation of land for the purpose of crop production and/or the rearing of livestock - primarily for food - but also to provide materials - e.g. for fuel - clothing and shelter.






38. Visual acuity worse than 6/60.






39. Stimuli to pain that are associated with social loss such as bereavement - marital breakdown.






40. Pain that arises from tissue damage in one part of the body - but Which is felt to be arising in a different part of the body. It is said to be 'referred to' a part that is not damaged.






41. A thin membrane (a double layer of lipids) enclosing the cytosol and organelles of a cell.






42. Haemoglobin bound to carbon monoxide. It is formed in the blood when carbon monoxide is inhaled - reducing the ability of the blood to form oxyhaemoglobin.






43. A substance (usually liquid) in which other substances dissolve.






44. A screening programme (sometimes called 'mass screening') that aims to screen everyone in a particular population group (rarely every citizen) - e.g. everyone over the age of 50 years - or all newborn babies. Attempts are made to screen everyone in t






45. Damage to the retina due to the abnormal blood flow that may develop in people with diabetes.






46. The production of any colour by varying the relative intensities of the subtractive primaries (cyan - magenta and yellow).






47. The neuron that has receptors for the neurotransmitter released by a presynaptic neuron at the junction (synapse) between these adjacent cells.






48. Vital to many chemical reactions in the body. Crystals containing these form an important part of the structure of bones.






49. Pain that arises from psychological triggers such as social loss; e.g. bereavement - marital breakdown.






50. The unit of absorbed dose of ionising radiation; 1 Gy = 1 joule per kilogram of tissue.