Public Health Nursing Practice Exam

What is the basic science that focuses on the health effects of chemical exposures?

1. Toxicology.

2. Pharmacology.

3. Chemistry.

4. Environmental epidemiology.

The correct answer is: Toxicology.

Toxicology is the branch of science that specifically studies the adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms and the environment. It assesses how these chemicals can cause harm, examining factors such as dosage, exposure pathways, and the biological effects that result from such exposures. Toxicologists analyze various toxic agents, including drugs, industrial chemicals, and environmental pollutants, to determine their health implications. Pharmacology primarily focuses on the effects of drugs on biological systems, including their therapeutic applications and the mechanisms through which they exert their effects. Although it involves chemicals, its scope is more about beneficial uses rather than harmful exposures. Chemistry, while it underpins many principles concerning interactions between substances, does not specifically address the health implications of chemical exposures. Environmental epidemiology investigates the relationships between environmental exposures and health outcomes but does not concentrate directly on the toxic effects of chemicals like toxicology does. Thus, toxicology is the most appropriate term when referring to the basic science concerned with the health effects associated with chemical exposures.