Deck 14: Anxiety and Depression in the Older Adult

Question 1

Because the onset of depression in older adults can often coincide with onset of an illness, it is frequently misattributed to a somatic cause and not properly diagnosed.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Unless attributable to a medical condition, somatic symptoms should prompt investigation into possible depression.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

For both men and women, self-inflicted gunshot wounds are the most frequently used method for completed and successful suicides.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

People with what type of insurance are entitled to screening for mental health issues as part of the initial preventive physical examination?

A) Medicare
B) Medicaid
C) TRICARE
D) Medigap

Question 5

Which of the following is the safest class of antidepressant agents, and which is the most effective for use in older individuals with the least interactions with other medications and fewest side effects?

A) Benzodiazepines
B) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
C) Selective-serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
D) Dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors

Question 6

What class of medications have been the most commonly prescribed anxiolytic agent for managing anxious symptoms in the older population, but should be used very cautiously and only when absolutely necessary?

A) Benzodiazepines
B) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
C) Selective-serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
D) Dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors

Question 7

A depressive episode in which an individual experiences pervasive feelings of anxiety and sadness that coincide with anhedonia is characteristic of what medical condition?

A) Dysthymia
B) Major depression
C) Minor depression
D) Recurrent depression

Question 8

What class of medications, sometimes call dual reuptake inhibitors, may also assist with managing the symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome?

A) Benzodiazepines
B) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
C) Selective-serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
D) Dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors

Question 9

What medical condition, one of the most common psychiatric complaints throughout the lifespan, can be difficult to diagnose in the older patient due to atypical presentations?

A) Anxiety
B) Depression
C) Delirium
D) Dementia

Question 10

Of which of the following would a score of 12 on the PGQ-9 questionnaire be indicative?

A) Minimal depressive symptoms
B) Dysthymia
C) Moderately severe major depression
D) Need for psychotherapy and antidepressant therapy

Question 11

Low levels of anxiety experienced in normal daily living may be beneficial in heightening an individual's alert state and awareness of surroundings.

Question 12

Individuals with excessive anxiety tend to be self-absorbed, possibly related to an attempt to protect one's body image and maintain a sense of control.

Question 13

SSRIs have a lower side effect profile than many other antidepressants and are often preferred over other classes of medication to treat depression.

Question 14

What type of behavioral intervention helps the person identify the trigger or stimulus that causes or maintains anxiety with the individual, making the person aware of the trigger so he or she may slowly gain control over the effect of the stimuli to develop a range of coping strategies and tools?

A) Relaxation techniques
B) Cognitive restructuring
C) Exposure-response prevention
D) Behavioral counseling

Question 15

What behavior intervention may be used with individuals with both panic disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder?

A) Relaxation techniques
B) Cognitive restructuring
C) Exposure-response prevention
D) Behavioral counseling

Question 16

Older adults with what type of depression often display functional activity impairments such as changes in regular activities of daily living, decreased socialization, and poor compliance with medication therapy and healthcare recommendations?

A) Dysthymia
B) Major depression
C) Minor depression
D) Recurrent depression

Question 17

Showing no emotions or feeling excessively or inappropriately guilty is a characteristic of what form of depression?

A) Psychotic depression
B) Catatonic depression
C) Melancholic depression
D) Atypical depression

Question 18

Which of the following is predominant in the clinical presentation of substance- or medication-induced anxiety disorder?

A) Depression
B) Delirium
C) Panic attacks
D) Agoraphobia

Question 19

What anxiety disorder is characterized by an individual fearing that he or she will be humiliated, embarrassed, or negatively evaluated, and leads to rejection or offending others?

A) Agoraphobia
B) Social phobia
C) Panic disorder
D) Generalized anxiety disorder

Question 20

Medical events such as waking during surgery and anaphylactic shock could cause an individual to develop what anxiety disorder?

A) Agoraphobia
B) Panic disorder
C) Generalized anxiety disorder
D) Post-traumatic stress disorder