Question 1

__________ theorist Michel Foucault questioned existing assumptions about medical knowledge and the power that doctors have gained over other medical personnel and everyday people.

Accepted Answer

Michel Foucault is known for his postmodern perspective and his critiques of power structures and institutional knowledge, including within the medical field.

Question 2

__________ is a condition in which a person has a severe mental ailment requiring extensive treatment with medication,psychotherapy,and sometimes hospitalization.

Accepted Answer

A mental illness is a broad term used to describe a range of mental health disorders, including severe mental illnesses that require extensive treatment with medication, psychotherapy, and sometimes hospitalization. Options A, B, and D can also be used to describe mental health disorders, but they do not specifically indicate the severity or the need for extensive treatment or hospitalization.

Question 3

According to many __________ theorists,problems in U.S.health care delivery are rooted in the capitalist economy,which views medicine as a commodity that is produced and sold by the medical-industrial complex.

Accepted Answer

Conflict theorists view societal problems as a result of conflicting interests and power dynamics. In the context of healthcare, they argue that the capitalist economy prioritizes profits over patient care, leading to issues such as high medical bills, insurance disparities, and unequal access to healthcare based on socioeconomic status. This viewpoint aligns with choice C, as they believe that the medical-industrial complex, which includes pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and medical providers, serves to perpetuate this unequal and profit-driven system.

Question 4

The concerns of the World Health Organization and other organizations must be heeded to prevent global __________,which are epidemics of infectious disease that spread through human populations across a wide region,country,continent,or the whole world.

Accepted Answer

Pandemics are specifically defined as global epidemics of infectious disease. The other options, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and catastrophes, may cause widespread harm or destruction but do not necessarily involve the spread of disease across human populations.

Question 5

Medicalization may occur on three levels.Which of the following is NOT one of these levels?

Accepted Answer

The three levels of medicalization are the conceptual, institutional, and interactional levels. The biological level is not one of the three levels.

Question 6

__________ refers to the process whereby a problem ceases to be defined as an illness or a disorder.

Accepted Answer

Demedicalization refers to the process of removing the medical classification or diagnosis from a problem, thereby making it no longer defined as an illness or disorder. This can occur when social, political, or cultural factors come into play and cause a shift in how a particular issue is viewed or treated. Demedicalization can be seen as a way to challenge the medicalization of everyday life and reduce unnecessary medical interventions.

Question 7

The __________ theory emphasizes the political,economic,and social forces that affect health and the health care delivery system.

Accepted Answer

The conflict theory emphasizes power struggles and inequalities among different groups in society, including in the areas of politics, economics, and social relations. Thus, it is the theory that is most likely to focus on the impact of these forces on health and healthcare delivery. The functionalist theory instead looks at how different parts of society work together to maintain stability and balance, while the symbolic interactionist theory examines how individuals construct meaning and social reality through their interactions with each other. The postmodernist theory is concerned with the ways that language and discourse shape our understanding of the world, and is less focused on specific social and political factors.

Question 8

Examples of __________ include the removal of certain behaviors (such as homosexuality) from the list of mental disorders compiled by the American Psychiatric Association and the deinstitutionalization of mental health patients.

Accepted Answer

Demedicalization refers to the process of removing certain conditions or behaviors from medical or psychiatric categorization. The removal of homosexuality from the list of mental disorders by the American Psychiatric Association is an example of demedicalization. Conversely, remedicalization would refer to the process of reclassifying a condition or behavior as a medical condition, while medicalization refers to the expansion of medical control over aspects of life that were not previously considered medical issues. Non-medicalization is not a commonly used term in this context.

Question 9

According to __________ theorists,we socially construct "health" and "illness" and how both should be treated.For example,some people explain disease by blaming it on those who are ill.If we attribute cancer to the acts of a person,we can assume that we will be immune to that disease if we do not engage in the same behavior.

Accepted Answer

Symbolic interactionist theorists argue that individuals create and negotiate meaning through their interactions with others. This includes how we define and treat health and illness. Blaming individuals for their illnesses can contribute to a larger societal belief that those who are ill are somehow responsible for their condition, which can lead to stigmatization and discrimination. Symbolic interactionists also focus on the role of communication and language in shaping our understanding of health and illness.

Question 10

According to __________ theorists,people with a disability experience role ambiguity because many people equate disability with deviance.By labeling individuals with a disability as "deviant," other people can avoid them or treat them as outsiders.

Accepted Answer

Symbolic interactionist theorists argue that individuals with disabilities face role ambiguity because society often views disabilities as deviant, leading to stigmatization and exclusion from mainstream society. This labeling can lead to negative self-images and a sense of being an outsider. Conflict theorists may focus more on the power dynamics between those with disabilities and those without, while postmodernist theorists may examine the ways in which disability is socially constructed and constantly changing. Functionalists may focus on how disabilities can disrupt the functioning of society and the importance of accommodating individuals with disabilities.

Question 11

The __________ encompasses both local physicians and hospitals as well as global health-related industries,such as insurance companies and pharmaceutical and medical supply companies.

Accepted Answer

The term "medical-industrial complex" is used to describe the intersection of medicine and industry, specifically the relationship between healthcare providers and global health-related industries such as insurance companies and pharmaceutical and medical supply companies. Choice A, "health care-organizational complex," is not as precise and does not include the industries mentioned. Choices C and D are not commonly used terms in this context.

Question 12

__________ refers to a reduced ability to perform tasks one would normally do at a given stage of life and that may result in stigmatization or discrimination against the person.

Accepted Answer

Disability refers to a restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in a manner or within the range considered normal for a human being. This can lead to stigmatization or discrimination against people with disabilities. The other options, physical deficiency, dysfunctional, and physical abnormality, are not specific enough to the context and may not fully capture the meaning of the statement.

Question 13

In studying health,__________ theorists focus on the meanings that social actors give their illness or disease and how these affect people's self-concepts and relationships with others.

Accepted Answer

Symbolic interactionist theorists focus on the meanings and interpretations that individuals give to their experiences, including illness and disease. They examine how these meanings affect people's self-concept, relationships with others, and interactions with the healthcare system.

Question 14

A __________ is a condition that makes it difficult or impossible for a person to cope with everyday life.

Accepted Answer

A mental disorder is a condition that affects a person's thinking, mood, or behavior, making it difficult for them to cope with everyday life. Mental abnormality, mental deficiency, and mental illness are all related terms but do not necessarily encompass the same range of symptoms as a mental disorder.

Question 15

The most widely accepted classification of mental disorders is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM),which is published by:

Accepted Answer

The most widely accepted classification of mental disorders is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Question 16

Among the issues of concern to __________ theorists are the ability of all people to obtain health care; how race,class,and gender inequalities affect health and health care; power relationships between doctors and other health care workers; the dominance of the medical model of health care; and the role of profit in the health care system.

Accepted Answer

Conflict theorists focus on power differentials and inequalities in society, particularly how those inequalities affect access to resources such as health care. The issues listed align closely with the concerns of a conflict perspective.

Question 17

__________ refer(s) to the physical and mental conditions,such as physical illness and depression,that compound each other and undermine the individual's overall well-being.

Accepted Answer

Comorbidity refers to the presence of two or more conditions or disorders occurring in the same individual. When physical and mental conditions co-occur, they can interact and affect each other, further complicating the treatment and management of these conditions. This can result in poorer overall health outcomes and reduced quality of life for the individual.

Question 18

The term __________ refers to the process whereby nonmedical problems become defined and treated as illnesses or disorders.

Accepted Answer

Medicalization refers to the process of defining and treating nonmedical problems as illnesses or disorders. This can occur when sociocultural, political, or economic factors influence the way we understand and respond to particular conditions or behaviors. Medicalization can have both positive and negative effects, as it can help individuals receive appropriate treatment and support, but it can also pathologize normal human experiences and lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment.

Question 19

People who do not earn enough to afford private medical care,but earn just enough money to keep them from qualifying for Medicaid,are referred to as the:

Accepted Answer

The term used to describe people who don't earn enough for private healthcare but earn just enough to not qualify for Medicaid is medically indigent. This group often struggles to afford healthcare and may go without necessary medical treatment, as they fall into a coverage gap or "in-between group." The other options - in-between group, medically incompetent, and medically deficient group - are not commonly used terms to describe this population.

Question 20

An estimated __________ persons in the United States have one or more physical or mental disabilities.

Accepted Answer

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and other sources, approximately 54.4 million people in the United States have one or more physical or mental disabilities.

Quiz 18: Health, Health Care, and Disability