HSC Biology Practice Questions for Module 8: Non-infectious Disease and Disorders

Causes and Effects

Inquiry Question 2: Do non-infectious diseases cause more deaths than infectious diseases?

Question 6

How can the study of epidemiology contribute to the fight against disease? (1 mark)

a) By helping reveal mechanisms of the immune response

b) By identifying vectors of disease

c) By proving that UV light causes skin cancer

d) By helping to establish causative factors by identifying statistical correlations

(Analyse patterns of non-infectious diseases in populations, including their incidence and prevalence, including but not limited to)

Question 7

A person with a deficiency in _____________ may develop scurvy, a nutritional deficiency disease. (1 mark)

a) Vitamin C

b) Vitamin D

c) Glucose

d) Insulin

(Analyse patterns of non-infectious diseases in populations, including their incidence and prevalence, including but not limited to nutritional diseases)

Question 8

Lactose intolerance is a non-infectious disease found in some humans who cannot digest milk. The causes of noninfectious disease are grouped into three categories. An epidemiological study was undertaken to investigate the cause of lactose intolerance. The study found variation in the occurrence of lactose intolerance in human populations from different parts of the world. Some of the data are shown in the table.

Using information from the table, outline how the study could be continued to determine the cause of the disease. (4 marks)

(Investigate the treatment/management, and possible future directions for further research, of a non-infectious disease using an example from one of the non-infectious diseases categories listed above)

Question 9

A scientist performed an epidemiological study to investigate the cause and effect relationship of smoking and lung cancer as follows

From the information provided, assess the suitability of the methodology for this investigation. (5 marks)

(Evaluate the method used in an example of an epidemiological study)

Sourced from the 2019 HSC Biology additional sample exam questions

Question 10

a) Identify a non-infectious disease caused primarily by environmental exposure. (1 mark)

b) Describe how this non-infectious disease can be treated or managed. (2 marks)

(Analyse patterns of non-infectious diseases in populations, including their incidence and prevalence, including but not limited to: nutritional diseases, diseases caused by environmental exposure)

Epidemiology

Inquiry Question 3: Why are epidemiological studies used?

Question 11

Which of the following terms can be interchangeable with ‘non-infectious disease’? (1 mark)

a) Non-lethal disease

b) Non-communicable disease

c) Non-genetic disease

d) Communicable disease

(Investigate the causes and effects of non-infectious diseases in humans)

Question 12

Epidemiologists are most interested in the study of: (1 mark)

a) Skin diseases

b) The causes of disease, their prevalence and prevention

c) Specifically non-infectious diseases

d) The response of the body to disease

(Investigate the causes and effects of non-infectious diseases in humans)

Question 13

Identify a specific nutritional disease. Describe its cause, symptoms and effects and methods of treatment in the table below. (5 marks)

(Collect and represent data to show the incidence, prevalence and mortality rates of non-infectious diseases, for example: nutritional diseases,  diseases caused by environmental exposure)

Prevention

Inquiry Question 4: How can non-infectious diseases be prevented?

Question 14

Evaluate the effectiveness of this poster in the prevention of skin cancer. (4 marks)

Image sourced from Sun Smart

(Use secondary sources to evaluate the effectiveness of current disease-prevention methods and

Question 15

Throughout the history of mankind, there have been many non-infectious diseases which have had massive impacts on the world. Using a specific example, explain how educational programs or campaigns were effective in developing strategies to prevent the disease. (3 marks)

(Use secondary sources to evaluate the effectiveness of current disease-prevention methods and develop strategies for the prevention of a non-infectious disease, including but not limited to: educational programs and campaigns, genetic engineering)

Question 16

As blood is filtered through the kidneys, its chemical composition changes. Which of the following chemicals in the blood would drop in concentration as a result? (1 mark)

a) Carbonate ions

b) Urea

c) Fatty acids

d) Amino acids

(Explain a range of causes of disorders by investigating the structures and functions of the relevant organs, for example:hearing loss, visual disorders, loss of kidney function)

Question 17

A patient has an inner ear auditory disorder. Using this information, which of the following technologies would most likely be used to assist with this disorder? (1 mark)

a) Hearing aid

b) Cochlear implant

c) Artificial ear drum

d) Bone conduction implant

(Investigate technologies that are used to assist with the effects of a disorder, including but not limited to: hearing loss: cochlear implants, bone conduction implants, hearing aids) 

Question 18

A cochlear implant is a technological advancement that has been developed to assist people with hearing difficulties. Briefly describe how a cochlear implant works and evaluate both it’s benefits and limitations. (3 marks)

(evaluate the effectiveness of a technology that is used to manage and assist with the effects of a disorder)

Question 19

By drawing a flowchart, or an annotated diagram, illustrate how a dialysis machine is used to artificially filter blood in an individual with kidney failure. (5 marks)

(Investigate technologies that are used to assist with the effects of a disorder, including but not limited to: hearing loss: cochlear implants, bone conduction implants, hearing aids, visual disorders: spectacles, laser surgery, loss of kidney function: dialysis)  

Question 20

LASIK is a surgical procedure in which the cornea is reshaped to better focus light on the retina of the eye.

a) What purpose does the cornea serve in the focusing of light? (2 marks)

b) Explain how LASIK can be used to treat an individual with hyperopia. (3 marks)

(Investigate technologies that are used to assist with the effects of a disorder, including but not limited to: visual disorders: spectacles, laser surgery)