Environment, Health & Well-Being (AQA A Level Geography): Exam Questions

Figure 8 shows the relationship between access to improved drinking water and life expectancy for selected countries by income group.

Figure 8

The figure portrays the correlation between life expectancy and access to clean water. From the figure above, it is obvious to note the importance clean water has on people around the globe. Countries in which all their citizens have access to clean water have the highest life expectancy. Source: Isma Shahid 2015 (opens in a new tab)

Using Figure 8 and your own knowledge, assess links between water quality and health.

Figure 7a shows deaths attributed to air pollution by country income groups in 2016.

Figure 7b shows the global distribution of the concentration of PM2.5 atmospheric pollution in 2016.

Figure 7a

deaths attributed to air pollution by country income groups in 2016

Note: PM_2.5 refers to fine particles with diameters less than 2.5 micrometers.

Figure 7b

the global distribution of the concentration of PM2.5 atmospheric pollution in 2016

Note: The WHO Guideline for healthy air is less than 10 PM_2.5

Analyse the data shown in Figure 7a and Figure 7b.

Figure 7a shows the global pattern of obesity in 2014.

Figure 7b shows the highest ranked countries with diabetes in 1980 and 2014.

Figure 7c shows a Spearman’s rank calculation used to study whether there is a relationship between prevalence of obesity and diabetes in the countries shown for 2014.

Figure 7a

The global pattern of obesity in 2014

Figure 7b

Highest ranked countries with diabetes, 1980 and 2014

Figure 7c

The null hypothesis is: ‘There is no relationship between obesity and diabetes in the selected countries.’

Analyse the data shown in Figures 7a, 7b and 7c.

Figure 8 is a newspaper article from The Guardian which discusses food security issues in Ghana.

Figure 8

Using Figure 8 and your own knowledge, evaluate strategies used to ensure food security.

Analyse the data shown in Figure 1, which shows global malaria deaths and cases, 2000–2022.

Figure 1: Global malaria deaths (thousands) and malaria cases (millions), 2000–2022

Source: WHO World Malaria Report, 2022.

Figure 8a shows deaths attributed to air pollution by country income groups in 2016.

Figure 8b shows the global distribution of the concentration of PM2.5 atmospheric pollution in 2016.

Using Figures 8a and 8b and your own knowledge, discuss the links between air quality and health at different levels of development.

To what extent is epidemiological transition the most important influence on the global distribution of a non-communicable disease you have studied?

‘Current strategies for controlling the spread of infectious disease are generally effective but will have to change in future as a consequence of environmental change.’ How far do you agree with this statement?

‘Non-communicable diseases are harder to manage than biologically transmitted diseases.’ With reference to one or more places you have studied, assess the extent to which you agree with this statement.

Assess the relative importance of the physical environment and socio-economic factors in determining the health characteristics of a local area you have studied.