Deck 12: Psychological Issues in Advancing and Terminal Illness

Question 1

Which of the following factors contribute to women's lower mortality rates?

A)They participate in less group activities.
B)They possess more biological fitness.
C)They engage in more risky behaviors.
D)They experience less social support.

Answer 1

They possess more biological fitness.

Question 2

The major cause of death in the age group 15 to 24 is:

A)leukemia
B)unintentional injury
C)heart attack
D)SIDS

Answer 2

unintentional injury

Question 3

The death rate among middle-aged adults has declined largely because of a 60 percent drop in:

A)stroke.
B)heart disease.
C)lung cancer.
D)homicide.

Answer 3

lung cancer.

Question 4

The Patient Self-Determination Act:

A)applies only to hospice patients.
B)gives importance to the patients' wishes.
C)legalizes the process of passive euthanasia.
D)supports the terminally ill financially.

Question 5

After infancy, the main cause of death among children younger than age 15 is:

A)acute illness.
B)SIDS.
C)accidents.
D)cancer, especially leukemia.

Question 6

Epidemiologic studies reveal that SIDS is more likely to occur:

A)in upper-class urban environments.
B)if the mother smoked during her pregnancy.
C)if the baby is put to sleep on its back.
D)in upper-class rural environments.

Question 7

Which of the following is a disadvantage of premature death in adulthood?

A)It causes physical deterioration and results in the loss of mental faculties.
B)It does not allow people to prepare their exit.
C)It is always extremely painful and mutilating.
D)It emotionally torments the family by making it witness the person's worsening condition.

Question 8

Walt's parents have explained to him that his grandmother has died.He keeps asking them questions about her death and develops a belief that she has become a ghost.Walt is most likely to be:

A)four years old.
B)six years old.
C)ten years old.
D)twelve years old.

Question 9

Children typically do not attain an adult understanding of death until:

A)the age of five.
B)age six or seven.
C)age nine or ten.
D)adolescence.

Question 10

The infant mortality rate in the United States:

A)is lower than that in most western European countries.
B)is twice as high for white infants as for black infants.
C)is the same for white infants and black infants.
D)is higher than that in most western European countries.

Question 11

In the age group of 15 to 24, the homicide rate among black males is nearly _____ times that of young white males.

A)three
B)six
C)seven
D)nine

Question 12

One of the important contributing factors to midlife crisis is the:

A)gradual realization of impending death.
B)growing awareness that one's risk factors for chronic illness are diminishing.
C)cultural emphasis placed on youth.
D)declining importance middle-aged adults place on their work.

Question 13

Which of the following is true of euthanasia and assisted suicide?

A)Euthanasia is a crime punishable by up to 12 years in prison in the U.S.
B)Physician-assisted dying is not legally permitted in any of the states in the U.S.
C)Acutely ill patients often request for euthanasia or assisted suicide.
D)Receptivity to euthanasia and assisted suicide has increased in the U.S.

Question 14

The main cause of premature death in adulthood is sudden death due to:

A)accidents.
B)heart attack.
C)AIDS.
D)homicide.

Question 15

In the first year of life, the main causes of death are:

A)acute illness and SIDS.
B)SIDS and congenital abnormalities.
C)accidents and congenital abnormalities.
D)cancer, especially leukemia, and SIDS.

Question 16

Which of the following is true of terminally ill young adults?

A)Medical staff often find it difficult to work with them.
B)Medical staff find it easier to work with them.
C)The biological competitors for death are more for them
D)The biological competitors for death are absent for these patients.

Question 17

Poor adjustment for parents of children who have died from SIDS is associated with:

A)maternal smoking.
B)self-blame.
C)socioeconomic status.
D)acute illness.

Question 18

Which of the following factors predicts mortality in the elderly age group?

A)Close family relationships
B)Reduced terminal illness
C)Strong mental health
D)Reduced life satisfaction

Question 19

Death in the elderly is:

A)unlikely to be caused by psychosocial factors.
B)unlikely to be caused by degenerative diseases.
C)likely to be caused by general physical decline.
D)likely to be caused by only one biological competitor.

Question 20

Countries with low infant mortality rate:

A)have higher pregnancy death rates.
B)provide free or low-cost maternal care.
C)provide poor prenatal care for the mother.
D)have flexible birth control policies.

Question 21

Emotional and social withdrawal in terminally ill patients is:

A)successfully treated with antidepressants.
B)always due to anticipatory grieving.
C)an expected and common occurrence.
D)a symptom of recovery from illness.

Question 22

According to Turk and Feldman (1992a, 1992b), the hospitalized terminally ill patient runs the risk of being _____ by the medical staff.

A)ignored
B)isolated
C)overmedicated
D)undermedicated

Question 23

According to Kübler-Ross, the dying patient who is coming to terms with his or her lack of control is experiencing:

A)denial.
B)depression.
C)bargaining.
D)acceptance.

Question 24

Palliative care involves:

A)final attempts to cure the terminally ill patient.
B)life-prolonging interventions such as placing the patient on a respirator.
C)ending the life of a patient who is suffering from a painful terminal illness.
D)custodial work designed to make the patient feel comfortable.

Question 25

A depressed terminally ill patient will:

A)constantly ask the question "why me?"
B)try to strike a bargain with god by doing a charitable activity.
C)act as if the illness is not severe.
D)come to terms with a lack of control.

Question 26

The correct order of Kübler-Ross's stages of adjustment to dying is:

A)depression, anger, bargaining, denial, and acceptance.
B)denial, anger, bargaining, acceptance, and depression.
C)denial, bargaining, anger, depression, and acceptance.
D)denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Question 27

Which of the following guidelines must be followed by the medical staff who work with the dying?

A)Helping the patients to live as long as possible
B)Informing the patients of their condition and treatment
C)Removing the restrictions on family and friends visits
D)Avoiding the involvement of patients in their treatment

Question 28

As a patient's prognosis worsens, interpersonal communications often deteriorate.The reasons for this breakdown are generally due to:

A)the belief that others do not want to talk about death.
B)long-term communication problems in the family.
C)indifference among medical staff members.
D)the loss of optimism among family members.

Question 29

Ending the life of a person who is suffering from a painful terminal illness is called _____.

A)hospice
B)palliative care
C)curative care
D)euthanasia

Question 30

argues that _____ early on in adjustment to life-threatening illness is both normal and useful.

A)anxiety
B)bargaining
C)denial
D)anger

Question 31

Which of the following is true of the psychological and social issues related to dying?

A)Advancing illness enables patients to present themselves effectively.
B)Communication opens up as the treatment becomes more drastic.
C)Patients gradually begin a process of social withdrawal.
D)Family members cheerfully elicit information from medical staff.

Question 32

Long-term denial of impending death:

A)enables people to accept the implications of an illness..
B)does not require medical intervention.
C)has a positive effect on the acceptance and realization of death.
D)requires psychological intervention.

Question 33

Which of the following is an example of curative care?

A)Giving a massage for a stiff neck
B)Bathing a patient
C)Feeding a patient
D)Giving a cast for a broken limb

Question 34

Patients are less likely to turn to alternative treatments when they are satisfied:

A)with the interpersonal aspects of their medical care.
B)with the technical aspects of their medical care.
C)that the costs of medical care can be borne by their families.
D)that the medical establishment can do nothing more to improve their condition.

Question 35

According to critics, Kübler-Ross's theory fails to acknowledge the frequency with which dying patients experience:

A)anxiety.
B)enhanced perceptions of control.
C)depression.
D)social support.

Question 36

Kübler-Ross's theory of death and dying:

A)accurately identifies the stages of the dying process.
B)acknowledges the importance of death-related anxiety.
C)breaks the taboo surrounding death.
D)describes the effect of death on survivors.

Question 37

Naomi, diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, knows that she will die soon.She is now deciding on how to divide up her possessions and how to say goodbye to old friends and family members.According to Kübler-Ross's theory, she is in the _____ stage.

A)denial
B)depression
C)acceptance
D)bargaining

Question 38

Salim is a terminally ill patient who is being treated in a hospital.The hospital staff are warm and supportive.They make him feel comfortable by bathing and feeding him every day.In this case, the staff are providing _____.

A)intensive care
B)acute care
C)curative care
D)palliative care

Question 39

According to Kübler-Ross, the dying patient who asks "why me?" is experiencing:

A)anxiety.
B)bargaining.
C)denial.
D)anger.

Question 40

A living will outlines:

A)a patient's wishes to undergo euthanasia.
B)a patient's request that extraordinary life-sustaining procedures are not be used.
C)the conditions under which a patient requests to remain alive.
D)the disposition of the terminally ill patient's belongings after his or her death.

Question 41

Which of the following statements is true of death education?

A)It is unessential as most of the cultures consider death as a taboo topic.
B)It must be imparted only to the college students.
C)It is necessary as it creates awareness about the kind of care the dying want.
D)It is mandatory as it provides encouragement for self-destructive leanings.

Question 42

As reproductive technology has improved over the past decade, the infant mortality rate for black infants has declined.

Question 43

The major cause of death in youths aged 15 to 24 is unintentional injury.

Question 44

Therapy with the dying differs from traditional psychotherapy in that it is likely to:

A)depend on the energy level of the patient.
B)continue for a long-term.
C)avoid adhering to patients' wishes.
D)follow a fixed schedule of appointments.

Question 45

Physician-assisted dying is legal in all fifty states.

Question 46

Evaluations of hospice care indicate that, compared to patients who receive traditional treatment, hospice patients:

A)live longer.
B)receive more invasive procedures.
C)report higher levels of anxiety.
D)receive more interpersonal care.

Question 47

Those who study death and dying are called _____.

A)grief assistants
B)thanatologists
C)geriatricians
D)epidemiologists

Question 48

Which of the following is true of terminally ill children?

A)They often know more about their situation than they are given credit for.
B)They are incapable of inferring their health condition from people around them.
C)They express their knowledge, concerns, or questions about the illness directly.
D)They are easy going and less stressful to work with.

Question 49

Terminally ill patients shift from traditional to nontraditional medical care when their health and communication deteriorates.

Question 50

According to the research cited in the text, a substantial percentage of terminally ill patients prefer:

A)home care.
B)hospice care.
C)traditional hospital care.
D)skilled nursing facilities.

Question 51

When young children experience the impending death of a sibling, the best approach is:

A)to give no explanation to them about death.
B)to provide extensive detail about the cause of death.
C)to inform them in advance about the impending death.
D)to wait until the death occurs and provide information later.

Question 52

The grief response appears to be more aggravated in:

A)women and those who experience expected loss.
B)men and those who experience sudden and unexpected loss.
C)survivors whose family members have experienced a protracted and painful death.
D)young children who experience the death of a sibling.

Question 53

Among women who are depressed in widowhood, _____ appear(s) to be the biggest burden.

A)financial strain
B)loneliness
C)household management problems
D)instrumental needs

Question 54

The Patient Self-Determination Act requires that all health care facilities in the United States have written policies and procedures concerning patients' wishes for life-prolonging therapy.

Question 55

Terminally ill children:

A)are unable to understand most information relevant to their medical condition and treatment.
B)use cues from their treatment and others' responses to infer the nature of their medical condition.
C)generally believe that they will soon recover and go home.
D)do not hesitate to express their concerns and questions directly to others.

Question 56

Researchers on death have suggested that cognitive-behavioral therapies like _____ can be effectively employed with dying patients.

A)positive self-talk
B)self-monitoring
C)systematic desensitization
D)intense muscle exercises

Question 57

Cultural differences have been found in beliefs about:

A)children's understanding of death.
B)death-related ceremonies.
C)working through stages of dying.
D)various causes of death.

Question 58

Competent home care for the terminally ill requires:

A)little training of family members.
B)regular contact between medical personnel and family members.
C)availability of around-the-clock professional nursing.
D)trained staff to interact with patients in an emotionally caring way.

Question 59

Hospices:

A)are treatment models with limited success rates.
B)are seldom affiliated with hospitals due to fears of malpractice litigation.
C)are increasingly being incorporated into traditional treatment.
D)are providing lesser individualized care than home care.

Question 60

Hospice care is aimed at achieving:

A)reduced personal attention.
B)curative care.
C)restricted social support.
D)palliative care.

Question 61

Describe Kübler-Ross's theory of dying.Evaluate the usefulness of her theory.

Question 62

There has been a great deal of interest in hospice and home care for the terminally ill.What are the advantages of each for patients and care providers? What are the disadvantages?

Question 63

Patients are entirely dependent on medical staff for amelioration of their pain.

Question 64

Explain the medical, social, and psychological factors associated with continuing treatment of a terminal illness.What options are now available to terminally ill patients and their families?

Question 65

Hospice care involves accepting death in a positive manner and assisted suicide.

Question 66

Kübler-Ross's theory has made an important contribution in identifying the universal stages of dying and breaking the taboo surrounding death.

Question 67

Suppose that you are working in a facility that provides care for terminally ill patients and their families.Outline the useful set of goals that will enable you to work with the dying.

Question 68

Describe the psychological and physiological correlates of grief.

Question 69

In terminal care, the staff may burn out from watching patient after patient die, despite their best efforts.

Question 70

In the denial stage, patients act as if the illness is not severe, and it will shortly go away.