Athabasca University

HLST 200
Introduction to Human Health I
Final Examination Sample questions

Instructions to the student:

1. This is a closed-book examination to be written without books, tapes, or notes, and to be

supervised by a person authorized by Athabasca University.

2. The use of a calculator is permitted; but hand-held computers are not allowed.

3. This final examination covers the material presented in units 7 through 12 of Health Studies
200. This examination is worth 30% of your final course grade. The passing grade for this
examination is D+ (55%).

4. You are allowed two and one-half (2 ½) hours to complete this examination.

5. Please complete the information requested on the Final Grade Report, included in your
examination package.

6. This examination consists of three parts:

a. Part I: 48 Multiple-choice Questions (1 mark each) 48 points

b. Part II: True/False and Explain Questions (1.5 marks each) 27 points
c. Part III: 5 Short Answer Questions (5 marks each) 25 points
100 points

7. Your answers for Part I: Multiple-choice Questions must be made in pencil on the answer
sheet included with this examination. Please be sure to write your name and student
identification number on the answer sheet. Your answers for Parts II and III must be
legibly written in the examination booklet provided.

8. On completion of the examination, hand in the total examination package (examination

questions, answer sheet, examination booklet, Final Grade Report) to your examination
supervisor.
 HLST 200
Introduction to Human Health I
Sample Final Examination questions

PART I MULTIPLE-CHOICE (48 points)

Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. Mark your
answers in pencil on the answer sheet provided.

1. The intoxicating substance in beer, wine, and liquor is

a. ethanol.
b. methanol.
c. phenol.
d. isopropyl alcohol.

2. Nick and Roland are identical twins who go out drinking together. Their body size is the
same. Nick drinks alcohol regularly, but Roland does not. After three bottles of the same
kind of beer each, Roland looks and acts drunk, while Nick still appears to be functioning
normally. Who has a higher BAC?

a. Nick
b. Roland
c. both are the same.
d. not enough information given.

3. The two major factors that affect how quickly your system will absorb alcohol are the
amount of food in your stomach at the time of drinking and

a. the speed at which you drink.

b. the mood you are in when you drink.
c. the alcohol concentration of your drink.
d. whether or not you use a straw to consume the beverage.

4. Jodie is stressed about an upcoming exam, but Pearl is very calm and relaxed. If they
both drink the same amount of alcohol, who will absorb the alcohol quicker?

a. Jodie
b. Pearl
c. Both will have the same rate of absorption.
d. not enough information given
5. Heavy drinkers of alcohol

a. have reduced sexual functioning.

b. get cold easily and retain water.
c. have skin disorders.
d. have two of the above
e. have three of the above

6. Vivian urinates frequently while she consumes alcohol. Why?

a. Alcohol is a diuretic.
b. Alcohol is like water in that it goes right through your system.
c. Alcohol shrinks the bladder.
d. Alcohol can be a gastrointestinal irritant.

7. What types of gastrointestinal cancers are associated with long-term alcohol use?

a. pancreas and stomach

b. stomach and duodenal
c. stomach and esophageal
d. pancreas and colon

8. The following are examples of “sauced” tobacco EXCEPT:

a. the addition of sugar to tobacco products.

b. the addition of inorganic salts to tobacco products.
c. the addition of spices to tobacco products.
d. the addition of arsenic to tobacco products.

9. Elaine's three roommates have all contracted the flu. What main factor will determine
whether Elaine gets sick too?

a. Elaine's environment
b. the strength of Elaine's immune system
c. the severity of the flu
d. the type of pathogen causing the flu

10. Anna has a sty in her left eye. What bacteria is the most probable cause of this infection?

a. staphylococcus (staph)
b. streptococcus (strep)
c. tuberculli
d. Escherichia coli (E. coli)
11. Lillian does not give her four-year-old daughter aspirin for flu symptoms because aspirin
may cause _________________________.

a. Reye's syndrome
b. toxic shock syndrome
c. Parkinsonian syndrome
d. chronic fatigue syndrome

12. Garrett's eyes and skin have a yellowish tint and he has dark yellow urine along with
fever, headache, and nausea. What is the most probable cause of his condition?

a. Epstein-Barr virus
b. rickettsia
c. Legionnaire's disease
d. hepatitis

13. The herpes zoster varicella virus, if reactivated, can develop into a disease known as

a. measles.
b. rabies.
c. shingles.
d. mumps.

14. Secondary damage from chlamydia in females includes

a. closure of the cervix.

b. sterility and pelvic inflammatory disease.
c. damage to the bulbourethral gland.
d. vaginal and cervical cramping.

15. What is the treatment for syphilis?

a. antiviral medication
b. antifungal treatment
c. cryosurgery
d. antibiotics

16. The greatest threat from venereal warts is the tendency for precancerous changes in cells.
This process is called

a. hyperplasia.
b. malignoplasia.
c. dysplasia.
d. malplasia.
17. Which of the following is not a high-risk body fluid for HIV transmission?

a. blood
b. semen
c. saliva
d. anal secretions

18. All of the following are true about HIV, EXCEPT

a. it is not highly contagious.

b. there have been 10 to 20 documented cases of infection from casual contact.
c. it is not transmitted via insects.
d. mucous membranes of genital organs and the anus provide the easiest routes of
entry.

19. Which is NOT a preventive measure for osteoporosis?

a. consuming adequate calcium

b. use of the hormone testosterone
c. weight-bearing exercises
d. a well-balanced diet

20. Geraldine passes a bit of urine each time she coughs or sneezes. This is called urinary

a. pressure.
b. incontinence.
c. incompetence.
d. urgency.

21. Elizabeth suffers from increased pressure within her eyeball. This problem is called

a. a cataract.
b. retinitis.
c. hypertension.
d. glaucoma.

22. Tony has just been diagnosed in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. When he asks his
doctor what caused his disease, the doctor tells him that

a. it is caused by a slow acting virus.

b. it is caused by exposure to excessive levels of aluminium.
c. it is caused by a genetic predisposition.
d. current research is inconclusive.
23. David’s grandfather is 75. What subcategory of old age does he fall within?

a. young-old
b. middle-old
c. old-old
d. very-old

24. Why do studies not record a higher prevalence of heavy drinking in the elderly?

a. They under-report their drinking habits.

b. Their drinking usually goes unnoticed.
c. Many heavy drinkers die of alcohol-related complications before reaching old
age.
d. Alcohol is metabolized quicker in the elderly than in young people.

25. If you are a smoker, which of the following factors is most likely to affect your lung
cancer risk?

a. the time of the day you smoke the most cigarettes

b. whether your parents smoked around you as a child
c. the age at which you started smoking
d. the brand of cigarettes you smoke

26. Which of the following statements about nicotine is true?

a. It is the only chemical present in cigarette smoke.

b. It is a form of condensed particulate matter from tobacco.
c. It impairs the cilia from cleansing the lungs.
d. It irritates the lungs but does not accumulate in the lungs.

27. In addition to having a high risk of lung cancer, smokers are __________ times more
likely to get lip, tongue, and esophagus cancers than are non-smokers.

a. ten
b. eight
c. seven
d. five

28. Which of the following statements about smokeless tobacco is NOT true?

a. Most users are teenage males.

b. Many users graduate to cigarettes.
c. Quitting is easier than with cigarettes.
d. Users have an increased risk of several kinds of cancer.
29. Eric is a smoker. His wife, mother, 15-year-old daughter, and infant son live in the same
household. In this household, who is at greatest risk of the sidestream (secondhand)
smoke?

a. his wife
b. his mother
c. his daughter
d. his son

30. Les is instructed to use a rapid smoking technique to help him quit smoking. Rapid
smoking is an example of ____________ therapy.

a. aversion
b. conceptual
c. operant
d. self-control

31. Diana quit smoking a few years ago. How many years will it take to reduce her lung
cancer risk to that of a non-smoker?

a. Her risk will never be that of a non-smoker.

b. 5 years
c. 10 years
d. 15 years

32. What type of caffeine intake is recommended for pregnant women?

a. abstinence from caffeine or restricted usage

b. no more than 100 mg per day
c. limit caffeine to 200 mg only in the first trimester
d. no limitation

33. Which of the following is the most common modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular
disease in Canada?

a. eating too many fatty foods

b. eating too few servings of fruits and vegetables
c. eating too many servings of meat
d. high blood pressure
34. Dylan was told by his physician that the valve between his left atrium and left ventricle is
malfunctioning. What is the name of this heart valve?

a. tricuspid
b. pulmonary
c. mitral
d. aortic

35. Which blood vessels permit the exchange of oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and waste
products with body cells?

a. arterioles
b. auxiliary arteries
c. capillaries
d. venules

36. All of the following are involved in congestive heart failure EXCEPT

a. the walls of the heart and blood vessels become weakened.

b. the flow of blood through the veins backs up.
c. the heart enlarges and circulated blood decreases.
d. there is no accumulation of blood in the legs, ankles, or lungs.

37. Which of the following is NOT a typical symptom of a stroke?

a. sudden weakness or numbness of the face

b. sudden dimness of vision, particularly in one eye
c. sudden unexplained, severe headache
d. auditory or visual hallucinations

38. Blood pressure is usually defined as normal when a reading is below

a. 120/80
b. 130/85
c. 140/90
d. 150/95

39. All of the following describe the differences between men and women regarding
hypertension EXCEPT

a. Men and women have an equal risk throughout their lifetime.

b. Men have a higher risk than women before age 55.
c. After age 75, women are at higher risk than men.
d. Men and women have about equal risk between age 55 and 75.
40. Darlene had a malignant tumour removed from her breast. A recent biopsy has shown that
the cancer is now in her lymph nodes. The process of malignant cells moving throughout
the body is called

a. metastasis.
b. transference.
c. transvergence.
d. directional malignance.

41. When Angeline seeks treatment for this sexually transmitted virus, her doctor tells her
that it has been linked to an increased risk of cervical cancer. The name of the virus is

a. hepatitis B.
b. HIV.
c. human papilloma.
d. chlamydia.

42. Recent studies have shown that estrogen replacement therapy and aspirin may reduce this
type of cancer risk:

a. breast cancer
b. colorectal cancer
c. prostate cancer
d. ovarian cancer

43. Tamara’s cancer treatment involves a new technique designed to enhance the body’s own
disease-fighting systems. This treatment is called

a. lymphotherapy.
b. bone marrow enhancing.
c. neoadjuvant therapy.
d. immunotherapy.

44. Which of the following are the most common causes of death from cancer in Canada?

a. breast/prostate, liver, and lung

b. colon, liver, and lung
c. breast/prostrate, colon, and gall bladder
d. lung, breast/prostate, and colon

45. Sleep apnea is a condition in which

a. people frequently walk in their sleep.

b. people take in more air than they let out while they sleep.
c. there is a repetitive cessation of breathing during sleep.
d. difficulty breathing in a reclining position causes people to sleep sitting up.
46. Theodore has a pulsating headache that is only on one side of his head. What type of
headache is he most likely experiencing?

a. sinus
b. tension
c. psychological
d. migraine

47. All of the following are symptoms of diabetes EXCEPT

a. hunger and excessive thirst.

b. the tendency to tire easily and changes in vision.
c. frequent urination and tingling in the extremities.
d. a sense of an ‘aura’ and tingling in the brain.

48. All of the following are risk factors for cervical cancer EXCEPT

a. cigarette smoking.
b. having multiple sex partners.
c. late first intercourse.
d. sexually transmitted diseases.

PART II TRUE/FALSE and EXPLAIN (27 points)

In the examination booklet provided, indicate whether the following statements are true or false.
Write a brief explanation for your answer (no more than 20 words). Please write legibly. Each
question is worth 1.5 points.

1. Urinary incontinence is a common problem associated with aging.

True/False and Explain

2. A person’s psychological age and social age are the same.

True/False and Explain

3. The wear and tear theory attributes aging to the decline of the body’s immunological
system.

True/False and Explain

4. As many as one in five children born to First Nations women in Canada may have FASD.

True/False and Explain

5. Treatment programs for alcoholism can be the same for males and females.

True/False and Explain

6. All alcoholic drinks contain the same percentage of alcohol.

True/False and Explain

7. The only time herpes can be transmitted is when a sore is present.

True/False and Explain

8. AIDS in Canada is most common among heterosexual women.

True/False and Explain

9. Strep throat, scarlet fever, and impetigo are all caused by the same bacteria.

True/False and Explain

10. As soon as a smoker quits, the tissue in his or her body damaged by smoking begins
repairing itself.

True/False and Explain

11. The reason we have such high taxes on cigarettes is to cover the costs of the associated
health care needs.

True/False and Explain

12. Light or mild cigarettes are those which contain herbal ingredients.

True/False and Explain

13. The health status of Canadians is one of the best in the world; new immigrants decrease
their rates of cardiovascular disease the longer they live here.

True/False and Explain

14. Canadian winters have an impact on deaths from cardiovascular disease.

True/False and Explain

15. Surgical and diagnostic procedures are less difficult to perform on women because they
have smaller coronary arteries than do men.
 True/False and Explain

16. Asthma has become the most common chronic disease of childhood.

True/False and Explain

17. Prostate cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths among Canadian men.

True/False and Explain

18. Type 2 diabetes occurs most often in children.

True/False and Explain

PART III SHORT ANSWER (25 points)

Answer five (5) of the six questions in the examination booklet provided. Each question is worth
5 points. Answers to questions should be between one-half and one page in length.

1. Compare and contrast the effects of nicotine and ethanol ingestion.

2. Describe the risk factors for osteoporosis.

3. Describe immunization and its benefits. Give two examples of conditions where it has
been effective at reducing rates of occurrence. Give two examples of conditions (not
previously identified) people should be immunized against?

4. What physiological reasons explain why tobacco may contribute to weight loss?

5. Describe and give examples of controllable and uncontrollable risk factors for
cardiovascular disease.

6. Describe the differences between using a population health and a high-risk approach to
preventing disease.

©Athabasca University

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