Deck 6: Diversity in Health Care

Question 1

All of the following statements are related to intersectionality theory EXCEPT:

A) Overall, social identity is the sum total of an individual's multiple identities.
B) One's social position is influenced by an intersection of personal identity and sociocultural factors.
C) It is not helpful to generalize about people on the basis of their gender or race.
D) Individuals may be at an advantage or disadvantage as a result of the intersection of personal and social factors.

Answer 1

A
Explanation: Social position is not simply the sum total of different identities but the way that they intersect and overlap in various contexts.

Question 2

Juanita does not speak English well, so she finds it difficult to research health issues or understand the written instructions her doctor gives her. Juanita has:

A) Low health literacy
B) Nonverbal immediacy
C) Communication apprehension deficit
D) Vocal deficiency

Answer 2

A
Explanation: The adverse effects of health literacy include unnecessary suffering, misunderstandings, reduced productivity, shame, premature death, and billions spent on avoidable health needs.

Question 3

Which of the following tips is recommended when communicating with people who have disabilities?

A) Talk directly to the person, even if an interpreter or companion is present.
B) Do not wait for them to ask for help, simply lend a hand.
C) Speak loudly and slowly to them to make sure they understand.
D) Be careful not to slip up and saying something such as "See you later" to a blind person.

Answer 3

A
Explanation: For the most part, you should communicate with people who have disabilities just as you would with anyone else.

Question 4

Mrs. Pace speaks very quietly and slowly. You notice that people who enter her room lower their voices as well. The idea that we tend to match the communication patterns of people around us is called:

A) Communication accommodation theory
B) Social equilibrium theory
C) The matching hypothesis
D) Patterned response theory

Question 5

According to the text, which of the following is generally true of patients who have low socioeconomic status?

A) All of the these are true.
B) They ask fewer questions than other patients.
C) They are typically more fearful about their health than other patients.
D) They are more likely than other patients to follow medical advice.

Question 6

You see a woman with a physical disability who appears to be having trouble getting into her vehicle. What should you do?

A) Be patient. She may not be quick, but she is probably capable.
B) Reach over and lift her into the vehicle.
C) Ask if she would like help, and if she says no, help her anyway.
D) Call the authorities immediately.

Question 7

In the United States, people of color tend to have poorer health than other people. This is because people of color:

A) Are likely to experience the health-eroding effects of discrimination
B) Are overly trusting when it comes to following the advice of professional care providers
C) Are genetically predisposed to be unhealthy
D) Tend to be older, on average, than European Americans

Question 8

Believing that her grandmother is hearing impaired, Sharon typically speaks very slowly and loudly to her. Actually, her grandmother can hear quite well, but she naturally matches her speaking rhythms to Sharon's, which leads Sharon to speak even more slowly and loudly, and the spiral continues. This is an example of:

A) Overaccommodation
B) Divergence
C) Social equilibrium theory
D) Patterned response theory

Question 9

Various criteria may be applied when considering how to allocate limited medical resources. According to the text, in today's market, all of the following rules of thumb are commonly applied EXCEPT:

A) Invest mostly in experimental treatments because they hold hope for the future.
B) Provide services for people who can afford to pay for them.
C) Provide care backed by scientific evidence and proven success rates.
D) Provide care for people who are likely to have the highest quality of life as a result.

Question 10

Which of the following is a good rule of thumb when communicating with people who have disabilities?

A) Do not insist on offering your assistance. If they say no thanks, respect their wishes.
B) Avoid sensitive subjects such as sex and death.
C) Avoid mentioning the disability, even if you know the person well.

Question 11

The idea that technology can help older adults have more control over their circumstances, interact with others more frequently, and feel less isolated is called:

A) The e-quality theory of aging
B) The elders-rule technology revolution
C) Information I-quatics
D) Operation Youthful Outlook

Question 12

As a medical illustrator, Yoko is delighted by the opportunity to create illustrations in health information brochures so that people who do not read English well can benefit from the information. Which of the following should she keep in mind about health literacy in the United States?

A) People with low health literacy are often too ashamed to admit they do not understand.
B) Nearly 45 million adults in the United States have low health literacy.
C) If all people in the United States could read, health literacy would no longer be a problem.
D) It is less expensive to care for people with low literacy than for other people, but only because people with low literacy do not get all the care they need.

Question 13

Care providers typically give less information to patients of low socioeconomic status (SES) than to more affluent patients. This is partly because patients of low SES:

A) Usually ask fewer questions than other patients do.
B) Are typically less concerned about their health.
C) Are less likely than other patients to follow medical advice.
D) Tend to be poor listeners.

Question 14

Your friend Marcus is especially sad about the death of his grandfather because he suspects that medical professionals did not do everything in their power to save him. People of color may receive different medical care and respond differently to it for all of the following reasons except one. Which of the following is NOT true?

A) People of color are genetically predisposed to be less healthy.
B) People of color are less likely to distrust the medical establishment.
C) The stress of being discriminated against contributes to ill health.
D) People of color are less likely to receive early and preventive care that might enable them to withstand illnesses.

Question 15

Which of the following is an effective strategy for dealing with the fluidity of gender in health care settings:

A) Include an option for patients to indicate sexual identity on patient health forms.
B) Give advice to patients based on binary sexual identity to avoid appearing judgmental.
C) Treat all patients the same without considering their sexual identity.
D) Assume that, if patients want you to know about their sexual identity, they will tell you whether you ask about it or not.

Question 16

Imagine that a health care decision maker says, "Given that we have limited resources, I think we should offer care mostly to people will have the highest quality of life as a result." According to your book, one problem with this line of reasoning is that:

A) It is likely to lead to unfair discrimination.
B) Quality is a poorer standard of measurement than quantity
C) Preference should always go to younger patients, regardless of their quality of life.
D) Ability to pay is more important than quality of life.

Question 17

Which of the following might be an indication of health literacy challenges?

A) All of these are correct.
B) A person does not understand the language in which medical directions are given.
C) A person is not able to access health information.
D) A person can read but cannot do much math.

Question 18

Your first patient of the day is a man with an intellectual condition that causes his speech to be slow and somewhat unclear. What should you do?

A) Listen attentively and then paraphrase to make sure you heard correctly.
B) Try to finish his sentences for him so he doesn't have to speak much.
C) If he has a companion with him, speak to the companion instead of to him.
D) Speak very loudly and clearly to make sure the patient understands you.

Question 19

You love working with young people, but one of your greatest challenges is talking to children about their illnesses. Sometimes the facts are scary and overwhelming even for adults. When explaining illnesses to children you should keep all of the following in mind EXCEPT:

A) Stick to scientific terminology.
B) Talk about the illness as something normal and manageable.
C) Let the child set the tone about how much they want to know.
D) Allow the child to express themselves through words, art, or other means.

Question 20

Experts recommend that, when you are talking with someone who uses a wheelchair you should:

A) Position yourself at eye level.
B) Offer to reposition the chair for that person.
C) Speak loudly and slowly.
D) Touch the chair to get the person's attention.

Question 21

The AMA's Ask Me 3 program encourages patients to be sure they know the answers to these three questions: (1) Am I in good health?, (2) How can I maintain good health?, and (3) What am I doing that is unhealthy?

Question 22

According to the definition of health literacy in your book, a person who can read and write but cannot apply health-related information is considered to have health literacy challenges.

Question 23

If you see someone with a disability parking permit who seems able-bodied park in a space for persons with disabilities, you should confront that person about it.

Question 24

One problem with increasing health literacy rates in the United States is that it would cost our health system more if people were highly health literate since they would probably seek more care.

Question 25

Research shows that, in the United States, people of color are more likely to be admitted to high-tech medical centers than are people of European descent.

Question 26

If you don't have access to reliable information about health issues then, by definition, you have health literacy challenges.

Question 27

One dichotomy that people with visible disabilities face is that people often cast they as either "heroic super crips" or as tragic victims.

Question 28

Most LGBTQ+ individuals would like health professionals to know about their sexual identity.

Question 29

Although the average life span of an African American male is four years shorter than the overall male average in the United States, the disparity in life span for African American women compared with the American average for women has been eliminated.

Question 30

If you don't speak the patient's language fluently, it is usually better not to attempt the few words you think you know. You might say something offensive.

Question 31

You learned in the text that African Americans typically die at a younger age than European Americans do. Describe four explanations of why people of different races seem to experience different health outcomes.

Question 32

Describe the three phases of health-related conceptualizations that children experience as they mature.

Question 33

What does communication accommodation theory say about the way people communicate? Include the terms convergence and diverge in your answer and explain what is meant by overaccommodation.