Deck 22: Substance Use Disorders and the Older Adult

Question 1

Which of the following subsets make up two-thirds of the older population with AUDs?

A)Early onset alcoholism
B)Late onset alcoholism
C)Late onset exacerbation alcoholism
D)Middle onset alcoholism

Answer 1

Early onset alcoholism

Question 2

Almost half of men and slightly more than of women over the age of 60 use alcohol.

A)one-quarter
B)one-tenth
C)one-half
D)one-third

Answer 2

one-third

Question 3

When Bensalom was a younger adult in his 20s and 30s, he had intermittent problems with alcohol but was never diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder.Now in his 70s, the problem has returned to the point of a diagnosis and a need for treatment.Bensalom belongs to the subgroup of those with an alcohol use disorder called .

A)late-onset alcoholism
B)late-onset exacerbation
C)insipient diagnosis of AUD
D)early-onset alcoholism

Answer 3

late-onset exacerbation

Question 4

How does your textbook define an "abstainer" from alcohol use?

A)They have never had a drink of alcohol.
B)They have had fewer than two drinks in the last month.
C)They drink fewer than one or two drinks in a year.
D)They have recovered from an AUD and now do not drink at all.

Question 5

Why are older individuals generally not screened for substance use disorders?

A)They take many prescription medications, so if they had an SUD, they would be taking their lives into their own hands.
B)SUDs are so uncommon in older adults that screening them for the condition is not financially realistic.
C)Many physicians are not trained to screen for SUDs in older individuals.
D)Insurance companies regard older adults as being immune to the effects of SUDs.

Question 6

What is "BRITE?"

A)An intervention strategy that involves five specific treatment steps
B)A state-sponsored team of professionals who can go to an older adult's home to hold an intervention regarding substance use problems
C)A hospitalization sequence for older adults whose substance use is exacerbating life-threatening physical illnesses
D)A screening and treatment tool for older adults

Question 7

A person who is considered a social drinker has no more than drink(s) per day and does not show symptoms of an alcohol use disorder.

A)one
B)two
C)three
D)four

Question 8

Which physical process is known to play a role in the dementia or pseudo-dementia symptoms of those with an SUD?

A)Vitamin deficiency problems
B)Deoxygenation of areas in the brain
C)Endocrinergic compromise
D)Autonomic neuropathy

Question 9

Those who were born between 1945 and 1965 are frequently referred to as .

A)generation X
B)"baby boomers"
C)the "lost" generation
D)generation Y

Question 10

In an interesting social experiment, 75 million "baby boomers" are now reaching retirement age, and , according to your text.

A)it is not clear whether they will want to immediately retire
B)it is not clear whether they will continue to push for the legalization of marijuana
C)estimates suggest that the alcohol use disorders are the third most common psychiatric diagnosis for this age cohort
D)it is not clear whether they will remain liberal in their voting patterns or become more conservative as they age

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic that is typically seen in those with early-onset alcoholism?

A)They often come from lower socioeconomic levels.
B)They tend to have less education.
C)They are less likely to smoke.
D)They come from single, divorced, or estranged families.

Question 12

Of those older adults over the age of 65 who take a prescription medication that interacts with alcohol, of them acknowledge that they continue to drink.

A)10%
B)25%
C)50%
D)75%

Question 13

Patrick has just celebrated his 65th birthday.Given the information in your textbook, you can assume that he has already experienced a reduction in of about 10-20%.

A)muscle mass
B)bone density
C)cerebral blood flow
D)lung volume

Question 14

The most common medication misuse in older persons is

A)overutilization for euphoric effects.
B)failure to adequately understand side effects.
C)intentional underutilization for financial reasons.
D)obtaining multiple prescriptions for the same compound from multiple providers.

Question 15

What is meant by the statement "it was once thought that substance use disorders were self-limiting?"

A)That there were limited treatment options for people with an SUD
B)That only recreational drugs could be attached to a diagnoses of an SUD
C)That it is very easy to diagnose an SUD because there are few specific symptoms
D)That those with an SUD would have a shorter-than-average lifespan

Question 16

Keandrea drinks more than the recommended amount of alcohol but has had few health or social consequences related to this behavior.She is considered a(n) drinker.

A)at-risk
B)borderline
C)social
D)abusive

Question 17

Jonah is a 59-year-old man who regularly uses an illicit substance.If he is like most of the adults in this age bracket who use such compounds, what is most likely his drug of choice?

A)Marijuana
B)Heroin
C)PCP
D)LSD

Question 18

Those who are over the age of are considered the oldest of the older adults.

A)70
B)80
C)90
D)100

Question 19

Hazardous use of alcohol is defined for the elderly as more than drinks in one sitting.

A)two
B)three
C)four
D)five

Question 20

Which of the following does your book note as a problem with the way in which health care workers view substance use in older adults?

A)They believe that they have a better understanding of an older adult's substance use than that adult does.
B)Some believe that older adults deserve to drink alcohol as a reward for a lifetime of hard work.
C)They do not tend to believe that older adults engage in substance use, and thus will not take that issue seriously.
D)They believe that all adults use drugs illicitly, and thus give up trying to do anything about the problem.

Question 21

Approximately 20% of older adults pooled revealed that they take medications for which they are currently not prescribed.

Question 22

Discuss some of the challenges of diagnosing and treating substance use disorders in older adults that come from problems with the health care professionals charged with their care.

Question 23

"Moderate" alcohol use in those over 65 years of age is defined as one standard drink or can of beer in a 24-hour period.

Question 24

Review some of the complications associated with the diagnosis of an alcohol or substance use disorder in the elderly.

Question 25

The most prominent sign of alcohol withdrawal in older individuals who drink heavily is confusion.

Question 26

Prescription misuse is a particularly problematic issue for the elderly.Discuss how this topic is important in the discussion of SUDs in older adults.

Question 27

Benzodiazepines are very rarely prescribed to those over 65 years of age; in fact, less than 1% of this population is prescribed this category of drug.

Question 28

How does the body's ability to handle alcohol change as one ages?

Question 29

Aspirin is as advantageous and safe for use in the elderly as it is for younger and middle-aged adults.

Question 30

Discuss the patterns of alcohol and/or drug misuse in the elderly.