Public Health Terminology

noun an official count or survey of a population, typically recording various details of individuals

• The government conducts a census every ten years to gather demographic data.
• Did you fill out the census form that came in the mail?
• I heard the census takers are going door to door in our neighborhood.
• In a way, reading a person's social media profile is like taking a digital census of their life.

verb to hold or have within; to include or encompass

• The box is designed to contain fragile items during shipping.
• Make sure the Tupperware can contain all the leftovers.
• I can't believe the party contained so many cool people.
• His emotions were difficult to contain after hearing the news.

verb to spread or disperse widely

adjective spread or distributed

adverb in a spread or distributed manner

• The research findings were disseminated to all relevant stakeholders.
• I made sure to spread the news to everyone who needed to know.
• I shared the info with everyone, no holding back.
• The seeds of knowledge were scattered far and wide.

noun the branch of medicine that deals with the incidence, distribution, and control of diseases

adjective epidemiological

• Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations.
• Epidemiology helps us understand how diseases spread and affect different groups of people.
• Epidemiology is like detective work for tracking down how illnesses are passed around.
• In a way, epidemiology is like mapping out the highways of disease transmission in a population.

noun a substance that is used to fumigate or disinfect an area by killing pests or bacteria

• The agriculture industry uses fumigants to control pests and diseases in crops.
• My neighbor had to use a fumigant to get rid of termites in their house.
• I heard you can use that fumigant stuff to clear out a room real quick.
• His words were like a fumigant, clearing out all the doubts and uncertainties in my mind.

noun a parasitic worm that lives in the small intestine of its host, causing infection and disease

• Hookworm is a parasitic worm that can infect humans and animals through contaminated soil.
• My dog got sick from hookworm after playing in the backyard.
• I heard that guy has a bad case of hookworm from walking barefoot outside.
• The corruption in the company spread like hookworm, infecting every department.

verb to affect or contaminate with something harmful or destructive

• The virus has the potential to infect many people if not contained.
• I heard that a stomach bug is going around and it might infect us.
• Don't touch that dirty doorknob, you might infect yourself!
• Negative thoughts can infect your mind if you let them linger.

adjective causing or capable of causing infection; communicable

• The infectious disease spread rapidly throughout the community.
• Her laughter was so infectious, everyone in the room couldn't help but smile.
• That new song is so catchy, it's infectious!
• His positive attitude was infectious, spreading to everyone around him.

verb to inhabit or overrun in numbers large enough to be harmful or unpleasant

• The building was infested with termites, causing extensive damage to the structure.
• I heard that the old house down the street is infested with rats.
• Dude, that place is totally infested with bugs. It's gross.
• Negative thoughts can infest your mind if you don't actively work to combat them.

noun the quality or state of being unhealthful or unsanitary

• The insalubrity of the living conditions in the slums was a major concern for public health officials.
• The insalubrity of that restaurant's kitchen is why I never eat there.
• I can't believe the insalubrity of that public restroom, it's disgusting.
• The insalubrity of the company's ethics was revealed in the recent scandal.

noun a substance used for killing insects

• The farmer sprayed insecticide on the crops to protect them from pests.
• I need to buy some insecticide to get rid of the bugs in my house.
• I heard that using insecticide is the best way to deal with those pesky critters.
• Education is like an insecticide that helps protect your mind from ignorance.

noun a type of fever caused by the presence of malaria parasites in the blood

• The patient was diagnosed with malarial fever and was immediately started on antimalarial medication.
• My friend caught malarial fever during his trip to Africa and had to stay in bed for days.
• I heard that dude got hit with some malarial fever after his vacation in the tropics.
• The sudden surge of malarial fever in the region symbolized the need for better healthcare infrastructure.

adjective describing something related to or characteristic of malaria

• The patient was diagnosed with a severe case of malarial infection.
• I heard that Tom got really sick with malarial fever after his trip to Africa.
• I need to take some meds for this malarial thing I picked up in the jungle.
• The corruption in that government is like a malarial disease, spreading and infecting everything it touches.

noun a person who smokes marijuana

• The police arrested a known marijuana smoker for possession of illegal substances.
• I heard that John is a marijuana smoker, is that true?
• That dude is a hardcore marijuana smoker, he's always high.
• Being a marijuana smoker can cloud your judgment and hinder your decision-making abilities.

noun a bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease

• The pathogen was identified as a strain of the influenza virus.
• They said the pathogen was just a really bad flu bug.
• I heard that pathogen is going around like crazy.
• Negativity can be a pathogen that spreads quickly if not addressed.

noun a system of pipes and fixtures for the distribution of water or gas in a building, or for the disposal of sewage

• The plumbing in the new office building was installed by a team of professional plumbers.
• I need to call a plumber to fix the plumbing in my bathroom.
• I'm tired of dealing with this messed up plumbing in my house.
• The plumbing of the organization needs some serious restructuring to improve efficiency.

noun the occupation of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment

• Prostitution is illegal in many countries around the world.
• I heard that there is a lot of prostitution in that area of town.
• Some people refer to prostitution as 'the oldest profession'.
• Selling out your beliefs for money is like emotional prostitution.

verb past tense form of the verb 'quarantine', meaning to isolate or restrict the movement of individuals who may have been exposed to a contagious disease

adjective describing a state of being isolated or restricted in movement as a result of being exposed to a contagious disease

• The travelers were quarantined for 14 days upon arrival in the foreign country.
• My neighbor got quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19.
• I heard that party got shut down because too many people were quarantined.
• After a week of non-stop work, I felt mentally quarantined from the rest of the world.

noun the process of keeping places clean and healthy, especially by providing a sewage system and a clean water supply

• Proper sanitation practices are crucial in preventing the spread of diseases.
• Make sure to keep up with sanitation to keep things clean and germ-free.
• Don't slack on the sanitation, or you'll regret it later.
• Sanitation is like a shield against illness, protecting us from harm.

noun a person who smokes tobacco or other substances

adjective relating to or characteristic of smoking or smokers

• The surgeon general warns that smoking is harmful to your health, especially for a heavy smoker.
• My neighbor is a chain smoker and always smells like cigarettes.
• I can't stand being around that guy, he's such a smokehead.
• Being a smoker of negativity will only cloud your mind with pessimism.

noun a chronic bacterial disease that is contracted chiefly by infection during sexual intercourse, but also congenitally by infection of a developing fetus

• Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum.
• I heard that syphilis is making a comeback in our city.
• Dude, you better wrap it up or you might end up with syphilis.
• The spread of misinformation is like a syphilis of the mind, infecting and damaging thoughts and beliefs.

noun a person in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect

adjective susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm

• The new policy aims to provide support for vulnerable populations in our community.
• She felt vulnerable after sharing her personal story with the group.
• I always feel so exposed and vulnerable when I have to give a presentation.
• Opening up about his feelings made him feel emotionally vulnerable.

noun a parasite that lives inside the body of its host

• The endoparasite was detected during the routine examination of the patient's stool sample.
• The doctor found an endoparasite in the poop sample.
• Eww, there was a creepy crawly endoparasite living inside that guy.
• The toxic relationship acted like an endoparasite, slowly draining the energy and happiness from her life.

noun a derogatory term for someone who disregards public health guidelines regarding mask-wearing

• The individual who refuses to wear a mask in public places is often referred to as a maskhole.
• I can't believe that maskhole walked into the store without a mask on.
• That maskhole is putting everyone at risk by not wearing a mask.
• The maskhole's selfishness is truly astounding.

noun a person who denies the effectiveness or necessity of wearing masks

• The mask-denier refused to comply with the public health guidelines.
• The mask-denier keeps saying masks don't work.
• That mask-denier is just being ignorant.
• The mask-denier is blind to the importance of wearing a mask.

noun mask shaming - the act of criticizing or shaming someone for not wearing a mask in public

• Mask shaming is a harmful practice that can lead to increased stigma and discrimination.
• I heard there was some mask shaming going on at the grocery store yesterday.
• Don't be a jerk and engage in mask shaming, it's not cool.
• Mask shaming is like pointing fingers at someone for trying to protect themselves and others.

noun a protective measure taken during a pandemic to limit contact to a small, consistent group of people

• During the pandemic, it is important to limit your interactions to a small social bubble to reduce the spread of the virus.
• Let's keep our social bubble small so we can all stay safe and healthy.
• I'm only hanging out with my ride-or-die friends in my social bubble.
• Her social bubble burst when she realized that not everyone in her life had her best interests at heart.

noun a made-up word that combines 'quarantine' and 'mates', possibly referring to people who are quarantining together as roommates or friends

• The quarantimates were established to prevent the spread of the virus among the population.
• We've been keeping track of our quarantimates to make sure we're staying safe.
• My group chat is full of memes and jokes about our quarantimates.
• The concept of social distancing has become a part of our daily lives, like our own personal quarantimates.

noun a person who disregards health and safety guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic

• The government issued warnings to avoid becoming a covidiot by following safety guidelines.
• Don't be a covidiot and wear your mask properly.
• That guy is such a covidiot, he refuses to wear a mask in public.
• Being a covidiot is like playing with fire in a crowded room.

noun a word that refers to a person, place, thing, event, substance, or quality

verb to make something flat or smooth

article a word that is used before a noun to specify or limit it

• It is crucial to implement measures to flatten the curve of the pandemic in order to reduce the strain on healthcare systems.
• We need to do our part to flatten the curve by practicing social distancing and wearing masks.
• Let's all work together to flatten the curve and get this virus under control.
• By taking proactive steps, we can flatten the curve of negativity and promote a more positive environment.

noun the quality or state of being viral, especially in the context of online content spreading rapidly and widely

adjective relating to or characteristic of virality

• The virality of the video helped it reach millions of viewers in just a few hours.
• The virality of that meme is insane - it's all over social media!
• Did you see how quickly that TikTok gained virality? It went viral overnight!
• The virality of her charisma made her the life of the party.

noun the diagnostic testing of blood serum

• Serology is the study of blood serum and other bodily fluids for diagnostic purposes.
• The doctor ordered a serology test to check for any infections.
• I heard serology is like CSI for doctors, they can find out so much from a little blood sample.
• In a way, serology is like a genetic fingerprint, revealing unique information about a person's health.

noun the state of being poor; lack of material wealth

• The poorness of the soil made it difficult to cultivate crops.
• The poorness of his excuses was evident to everyone.
• I can't believe the poorness of that performance last night.
• The poorness of her spirit was reflected in her lack of enthusiasm for life.

noun the state of being without work or employment

• The government is implementing policies to address worklessness in the country.
• Many people are struggling with worklessness and finding it hard to secure a job.
• Worklessness is a real bummer, dude.
• Worklessness can feel like being adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

noun a gathering where people work together to create or update maps

• The organization is hosting a mapathon to update the digital maps of the city.
• Hey, are you joining the mapathon this weekend to help with mapping the neighborhood?
• I heard the mapathon is gonna be lit, you should definitely come through!
• Participating in the mapathon felt like charting a new course for the future.

noun a substance or chemical used to kill mites or ticks

• The farmer applied acaricide to control the mite infestation on the crops.
• The farmer used acaricide to get rid of the mites on the plants.
• The farmer sprayed some acaricide to kill those pesky mites on the crops.
• Using acaricide is like a shield protecting the crops from harmful mites.

adjective a word that describes or gives more information about a noun, in this case 'adulticidal' describes something that is intended to kill adults

• The adulticidal treatment was effective in eliminating the adult mosquitoes in the area.
• Using adulticidal spray is the best way to get rid of those pesky mosquitoes.
• I heard that new bug spray is super adulticidal, it kills mosquitoes on contact!
• His sharp wit was like an adulticidal force, cutting down anyone who dared to challenge him.

noun a substance or agent used to kill adult insects

• The city council decided to use adulticide to control the mosquito population.
• They're going to spray adulticide in the park to get rid of the mosquitoes.
• Let's hit those bugs with some adulticide and get rid of them once and for all.
• Sometimes we need to use adulticide to eliminate the negative thoughts that plague our minds.

noun the process of converting a liquid or solid substance into a fine spray or mist

• The process of aerosolization is commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry to create inhalable medications.
• When you spray the cleaner, you are causing aerosolization of the liquid particles in the air.
• I hate it when people use aerosol sprays, it's like they're just aerosolizing chemicals everywhere.
• His words seemed to hang in the air, as if they had been aerosolized for everyone to hear.