Question 1

The goal of hospice is to:

Accepted Answer

The primary goal of hospice care is to provide a compassionate approach to care, focusing on the quality of life for people who are experiencing an advanced, life-limiting illness. Hospice care supports terminally ill patients in living their final days as fully and independently as possible, often in their own homes, with a focus on comfort and reducing pain and suffering.

Question 2

According to the work of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, which of the following statements best reflects the anger stage of dying?

Accepted Answer

According to Kübler-Ross, the anger stage of dying is characterized by the question "Why me?" This stage typically follows denial and precedes bargaining. Choice A reflects the denial stage, choice B reflects disbelief or bargaining, and choice D reflects escape or requests for help rather than anger.

Question 3

According to research cited in the text, when caregivers were asked to comment about the relief they felt following their loved one's death, about ____ reported that death was a relief to them and about ____ reported that they felt it provided a welcome relief to the person who died.

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that a significant majority of caregivers find relief in the death of their loved ones, both for themselves and for the person who died, with 72% reporting personal relief and 90% believing it provided relief to the deceased.

Question 4

According to the theory set forth by Kübler-Ross, the stage of adjustment in which the terminal patient has recognized that death will come is called:

Accepted Answer

According to Kübler-Ross's theory, after denial, anger, bargaining, and depression, the final stage of adjustment for a terminal patient is acceptance. Acceptance involves recognizing that death is inevitable and coming to terms with it.

Question 5

A legal document that informs both family and health-care workers of the signer's wish to avoid the use of "heroic measures" to maintain life in the event of irreversible illness is called a(n):

Accepted Answer

A living will is a legal document that states an individual's wishes for medical treatment in the event that they are unable to express them themselves. In particular, a living will typically includes instructions about whether an individual wants life-sustaining treatments to be used in the event of a terminal or irreversible condition. This can help ensure that an individual's wishes are respected and followed, even if they are unable to communicate or make decisions for themselves.

Question 6

George is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, so he and his wife consult an attorney to draw up and sign documents giving George's wife the legal authority to make decisions about George's care. Such a document is called:

Accepted Answer

A medical power of attorney, also known as a durable power of attorney for healthcare, is a legal document that grants a designated individual the authority to make healthcare decisions on behalf of the person who executed the document (the "principal") in the event that the principal is unable to make decisions for themselves due to illness, incapacity or injury. A living will outlines the medical treatment the individual wishes to receive or not receive if they become critically ill, while a probated will is a legal document that outlines a person's final wishes after they pass away and a right to die document typically refers to legislation related to end-of-life decisions.

Question 7

In 1900, the death rate of U.S. children under the age of 5 was ____; in 2009 it was ____.

Accepted Answer

According to the World Bank, the death rate of U.S. children under the age of 5 was around 30% in 1900 and decreased to 1.5% in 2009, making Choice D the correct answer.

Question 8

Of the children who die before they reach age 18, the largest percentage falls into which of the following age group?

Accepted Answer

Infant mortality is highest in the first year of life, making the age group 0 to 1 the largest percentage of child deaths before age 18.

Question 9

A small town has experienced an unusually high suicide rate in recent years. Local officials try to prevent future suicides by concentrating their efforts on those most likely to commit suicide. These people would be:

Accepted Answer

According to statistics on suicide, men over the age of 75 have the highest suicide rate. Therefore, local officials should concentrate their efforts on this demographic to prevent future suicides.

Question 10

The text points out an inconsistency between hospice care and hospital care. Which of the following best captures the sense of that inconsistency?

Accepted Answer

Hospice care is focused on providing comfort and support to patients at the end of their lives, whereas hospitals are primarily focused on treating illnesses and keeping patients alive. This difference in focus creates an inconsistency between the two types of care.

Question 11

MacDonald's has established a network of "Ronald McDonald" houses near major hospitals so that families of very ill children will have a place to stay while visiting their ill child. This charity is best considered to be an example of:

Accepted Answer

The charity established by MacDonald's provides lodging for families of seriously ill children near major hospitals. This service is best categorized as an example of palliative care. Palliative care is a specialized type of medical care for people with serious illnesses, focused on providing relief from symptoms, stress, and the pain of a serious illness. The goal of palliative care is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family, which is exactly what the Ronald McDonald houses do.

Question 12

Terry, a 73-year-old widower, was in the hospital for six months with cancer. Finally, the painful treatments got to be too much for him and he just gave up and let himself die. This passive form of suicide is best considered to be an example of:

Accepted Answer

This scenario is an example of "submissive death," where an individual may not actively take their own life but rather allows themselves to die by not resisting death or refusing life-prolonging treatments.

Question 13

When Elisabeth Kübler-Ross began her research on death and dying in the 1960s, she commonly observed all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Kübler-Ross observed that patients were commonly not told they had a terminal diagnosis (A), doctors and nurses seemed to avoid patients who were dying (B), and patients were discouraged from talking about their own deaths (D). However, she did not observe that doctors and nurses provided better and more attentive care only after a terminal diagnosis was certain (C). In fact, her research helped to bring about changes in attitudes toward end-of-life care, including a greater focus on providing comfort and support to patients throughout the dying process.

Question 14

The text notes that today in the United States, we live in an era of "invisible death." By this, the text means that:

Accepted Answer

The text refers to an "era of invisible death" because many of us cope with death by denying its existence in our lives. This denial can make the reality of death seem hidden, or invisible, leading to less discussion and understanding of death in our culture.

Question 15

Generalizing from the text, terror management theory seems to provide the best predictions for which of the following groups of people?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Generalizing from the text, terror management theory...

Question 16

Statistically speaking, which of the following people would be at the highest risk of suicide?

Accepted Answer

Statistically, men have a higher risk of suicide than women. Furthermore, widowers have a higher risk of suicide than married individuals. Therefore, a man who has just become a widower would be at the highest risk of suicide out of the given options.

Question 17

Jodi is dying from a rare blood disorder, but insists that her doctor has made a mistake in the diagnosis. Jodi's reaction is best considered to be an example of which of Kübler-Ross's five stages of dying?

Accepted Answer

Jodi's insistence that her doctor has made a mistake in the diagnosis shows that she is in a state of denial, which is one of the stages of Kübler-Ross's five stages of dying. In this stage, the person may refuse to accept the reality of their situation and may try to ignore or avoid the facts.

Question 18

Brittany, age 23, has just been told by her doctor that she has only a few months to live due to a heart ailment. Her reaction is to say that the diagnosis must be wrong and to seek out opinions from other doctors. Brittany's reaction is best considered to be an example of which of Kübler-Ross's five stages of dying?

Accepted Answer

Brittany's reaction to deny the diagnosis and seek out other opinions from doctors is a classic example of the stage of denial in the Kubler-Ross model of grief and dying.

Question 19

According to terror management theory, thinking about one's own death leads to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

According to terror management theory, thinking about one's own death leads to a stronger self-concept, as individuals try to cope with existential anxiety by seeking meaning and significance in their lives. They may strive to accomplish important goals or pursue meaningful relationships, which enhances their sense of self-worth and significance.

Question 20

Between 2003 and 2010, the number of hospice patients served in the United States:

Accepted Answer

According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, between 2003 and 2010, the number of hospice patients served in the United States increased by about 65%.

Quiz 18: Death and Dying