CSET Health Science key terms

The degree to which a person can obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions and follow treatment instructions.

The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of that study to control health problems.

The number of new cases of a disease or condition that develop in a defined population during a specified period, usually expressed as a rate per population at risk.

The total number of existing cases of a disease or condition in a population at a given point in time or over a period, including both new and old cases.

Indirect protection from an infectious disease that occurs when a sufficient proportion of a population is immune, reducing transmission to those who are not immune.

Measures taken before disease or injury occurs to prevent its onset, such as immunization, seat belt laws, and health education about risk behaviors.

Early detection and prompt treatment of disease at an asymptomatic or early stage to halt progression, illustrated by screening programs such as mammography or blood pressure checks.

Interventions that reduce disability, restore function, and improve quality of life after a disease has caused lasting effects, such as cardiac rehabilitation or physical therapy.

The presumptive identification of unrecognized disease in an apparently healthy population using tests that can be applied rapidly and cheaply to sort out those needing further evaluation.

The proportion of people who truly have a condition and are correctly identified as positive by a test; a highly sensitive test rarely misses a true case.

The proportion of people who truly do not have a condition and are correctly identified as negative by a test; a highly specific test rarely labels a healthy person as diseased.

A behavior-change framework holding that a person's likelihood of taking preventive action depends on perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and cues to action.

A person's confidence in their own ability to successfully perform a specific behavior or task across different situations, a key predictor of adopting health behaviors.

A transtheoretical model describing behavior change as progressing through precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and sometimes termination, with different interventions suited to each stage.

A return to a previous unhealthy behavior after a period of improvement, treated in behavior-change models as a normal part of the cycle rather than a failure.

The conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect health outcomes, including income, education, housing, and food security.

Preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, or opportunity to achieve optimal health experienced by socially disadvantaged populations compared with more advantaged groups.

The attainment of the highest level of health for all people, requiring focused efforts to remove obstacles such as poverty and discrimination that prevent fair health outcomes.

The ability of health professionals and organizations to understand and respond effectively to the cultural and linguistic needs of patients from diverse backgrounds.

The science and art of protecting and improving the health of communities through organized efforts such as disease surveillance, health education, sanitation, and policy.

A 2010 U.S. federal law that expanded health insurance coverage through marketplaces, Medicaid expansion, and consumer protections such as coverage of preventive services.

The U.S. federal health insurance program primarily for people aged 65 and older, some younger people with disabilities, and people with end-stage renal disease.

A joint federal-state program that provides health coverage to eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities.

The tendency of the body to maintain relatively stable internal conditions, such as temperature and blood pH, through coordinated physiological feedback mechanisms.

A control mechanism in which a change in a physiological variable triggers a response that counteracts the change, helping return the body toward its set point.

The sum of all chemical reactions in the body, including catabolic reactions that break down molecules for energy and anabolic reactions that build body substances.

The amount of energy the body expends at rest to maintain vital functions such as breathing, circulation, and cell production, usually measured in calories per day.

A screening measure calculated from weight and height (weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) used to classify underweight, normal, overweight, and obesity categories.

A chronic condition of excess body fat that raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other disorders, often classified by body mass index thresholds.

A chronic metabolic disorder in which cells become resistant to insulin and the pancreas cannot keep up with demand, leading to elevated blood glucose levels.

A hormone produced by the pancreas that moves glucose from the blood into cells, lowering blood sugar and playing a central role in diabetes management.

The ability of bacteria to survive and grow despite exposure to antibiotics, often driven by overuse and misuse of these drugs in medicine and agriculture.

The administration of a product that stimulates the immune system to produce immunity to a specific pathogen, protecting the individual and, at scale, the community.

The sequence required for infection to spread: a pathogen, a reservoir, a portal of exit, a mode of transmission, a portal of entry, and a susceptible host.

Infection-control practices applied to all patients regardless of diagnosis, including hand hygiene, gloves, gowns, masks, and safe handling of sharps and body fluids.

Measurable physiological indicators of health status, typically including body temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and sometimes pain and oxygen saturation.

The force exerted by circulating blood against artery walls, recorded as systolic pressure over diastolic pressure in millimeters of mercury.

Persistently elevated arterial blood pressure, often called the silent killer because it typically produces no symptoms while damaging the heart, brain, and kidneys.