Disorders like Cancer, CHD, Schizophrenia, IHD, Mental retardations are examples of?

RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2015

Pathology & Genetics

Medium

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2015

Explanation

The listed conditions (Cancer, CHD, Schizophrenia) are complex diseases that do not follow simple inheritance patterns.
Their development is influenced by the cumulative effect of multiple genes (polygenic) combined with environmental and lifestyle factors.
This model of disease causation, involving both genetic predisposition and environmental triggers, is the definition of multifactorial inheritance.
Source SRC_1804 explicitly lists hypertension, schizophrenia, mental retardation, and ischaemic heart disease as conditions with a multifactorial etiology.

Option A: Unifactorial disorders are caused by a mutation in a single gene. The diseases listed in the question are known to be caused by a combination of many genes and environmental factors.
Option C: Chromosomal disorders are caused by abnormalities in the number or structure of entire chromosomes. The listed diseases are primarily caused by gene-environment interactions, not large-scale chromosomal changes.
Option D: While technically correct that these are genetic disorders, this answer is too broad and less precise. Multifactorial, Unifactorial, and Chromosomal disorders are all sub-types of genetic disorders. The question asks for the most specific and accurate classification.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Classification of genetic and multifactorial disorders as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a critical role in managing multifactorial disorders by conducting thorough health assessments, including a detailed family history, to identify at-risk individuals.
Patient education is a key nursing intervention. This includes explaining the concept of shared genetic risk and emphasizing the importance of modifying controllable environmental factors (diet, exercise, smoking) to reduce disease risk.
This knowledge is fundamental for health promotion and disease prevention strategies in community health nursing.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the list of disorders provided in the question: Cancer, CHD, Schizophrenia, IHD. Recognize that these are common, complex health issues in the general population.
Next, evaluate the options provided. Consider the definition of each term.
Unifactorial means 'one factor' (a single gene). Chromosomal refers to issues with whole chromosomes. Genetic is a very broad term. Multifactorial means 'many factors'.
Recall that common diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers are influenced by both a person's genes and their lifestyle/environment (e.g., diet, smoking).
Based on this, conclude that 'Multifactoral disorders' is the most accurate and specific term to describe conditions caused by the interplay of many genetic and environmental factors.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart B (pp 233-449 of 464) pp. 142-144, 139-141

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 2501-2503