SOCL2501.25, Ch.2

According to the text, the American health-care system suffers from which of the following problems?

d. All of the above

The functionalist argues that since medical care is performed under the control of a physician, a patient does not direct his or her own treatment. This refers to the issue of __________.

a. norms of treatment

In the poorest regions of the world, which of the following is NOT associated with high infant and child mortality?

a. poor birthing techniques

When we confront problems such as how effectively health care is distributed among all people, including the elderly and poor, we deal with health-care problems at the __________ level.

c. macro or societal

Today, about __________ percent of Americans are obese, and another 16 million are "super-obese".

a. 26

On the average, the life expectancy for white males is about __________ years longer than that for black males and the life expectancy for white females is about __________ years longer than that for black females.

a. 6;4

Which of the following statements is NOT true of the disabled and handicapped in the United States?

a. The increase in the proportion of disabled individuals in the population is due mostly to increases in the incidence of crippling diseases.

Which of the following statements about the uninsured is FALSE?

a. Young people are more likely to be employed at jobs with no health benefits, and likely to be uninsured.

Dennis Altman's study of the social, political, and psychological impact of AIDS in America highlights which theoretical perspective?

a. conflict

Because it appeared first in the United States among male homosexuals between the ages of 20 and 49, AIDS is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "__________."

a. gay disease

Medical sociologists often point out that the institutions of American health care are the source of many health-care problems, largely because the health-care system DID NOT develop __________.

a. in such a way that doctors maintain private practices, society supports hospitals, and insurance allows these two to function. b. in such a way that doctors were able to develop narrow specialties and refer patients to hospitals with special facilities. c. in such a way that it became either a purely competitive industry, or a regulated public service.

Both public and private insurance plans were originally intended to solve many of the problems and inequities of the American health-care system. The text points out that such plans have __________.

a. reduced the cost of health care c. compounded existing difficulties d. solved existing difficulties e. prevented physicians and hospitals from deciding what and how much treatment each patient will receive

Medical sociologists and economists argue that __________ account(s) for a disproportionate share of total medical costs in the United States.

a. the costs of steadily improving medical technologies

Longer life expectancy and lower infant mortality are correlated with __________.

a. the number of health-care professionals available

Which of the following statements best explains the differences in life expectancy between "developed" and less developed nations?

b. People in more developed nations are more likely to survive childhood diseases and parasites.

By 2014, the most significant measures of the healthcare reform law will take effect because_________.

b. an IRS penalty of $750 or 2 percent of income will be imposed on citizens not covered by an employer or public plan

The text points out that AIDS can be viewed as three epidemics rolled into one. Which of the following is NOT one of these?

b. emerging social policy surrounding HIV

Recently, increases in the costs of hospital care have slowed, because _______.

b. fewer people are becoming ill and needing hospitalization c. the population is younger and needs less hospitalization d. costly technology in treating illness isn't as important now e. of improvements in the efficiency of hospital administration

Until the mid-1980s, hospital costs rose at a dramatic pace, primarily because __________.

b. hospitals had fewer reasons to keep costs down

The functionalist argument that many health-care services that are restricted to physicians could be performed by trained technicians refers to the issue of __________.

b. professional dominance

Which of the following has been projected by the Congressional Budget office as LIKELY to occur as a result of the healthcare reform bill of 2010?

b. reduced costs to society as a result of increased access to healthcare

According to the text, in the United States our comparatively poor health is largely due to the _________.

b. the number of healthcare professionals available

The World Health Organization estimates that the HIV virus (the virus that causes AIDS) infects __________ million people, and almost 85 percent of the infected live in the developing nations of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

c. 40

Interactionist studies of the health of Americans point out that many of the "bad habits" (like smoking and drinking alcohol) that can contribute to poor health are due to __________.

c. how consumption norms reflect a need or desire to be sociable

The average age to which members of a society live is the measure called __________.

c. life expectancy

The subfield of sociology that specializes in research on the health-care system and its impact on the public is called __________.

c. medical sociology

When we face problems such as whether an elderly parent should be placed in a nursing home or if (or when) life-support systems should be stopped for a terminally ill relative, we deal with health-care problems at the __________ level.

c. micro or individual

In the United States, the infant mortality rate for nonwhites, compared to whites, is __________.

c. more than twice the rate for whites

The functionalist argues that barriers to admission to medical school prevent the admission of qualified applicants. This refers to the issue of __________.

c. restricted entry

The "doughnut hole" in Medicare refers to ________.

c. the cost of drug expenditures that surpasses the federal subsidy received by retirees aged over 65 years who are more than $14,664.

According to the text, under the 2010 healthcare reform law, __________.

c. there are no provisions that suggest support for euthanasia or any form of assisted suicide; language that referred to end-of-life care was misinterpreted by opponents of the law to mean there would be increased involvement by government bureaucrats.

The text points out that almost every major health initiative, either in the United States or globally, is fraught with issues that originate in deep ideological divisions and moral dilemmas. Which of the following is NOT one of these issues?

c. unnecessary cardiac surgeries

The text points out that in impoverished regions of the world, where high-quality medical care is often lacking, the social problems associated with physical health are profound. Which of the following is NOT one of these problems?

c. vitamin deficiencies

Studies have shown that as more hospitals are managed by for-profit or not-for-profit corporations, as opposed to the public sector, they are indeed less likely to provide services like __________.

d. All of the above

Which of the statements below is true, according to the authors of your text?

d. All of the above

Which of the following is a factor detracting from better health among Americans?

d. All of the above are factors.

Which of the following is/are (an) important factor(s) in the high cost of physicians' services?

d. All of the above are important factors.

Which of the following contribute(s) to the higher infant mortality experienced by the poor?

d. All of the above contribute.

Which of the following statements about employer-provided health insurance is TRUE?

d. All of the above statements are true.

Which of the following statements about inequalities of gender and healthcare in the United States is TRUE?

d. All of these statements are true

Which of the following statements about food and health in the global marketplace is FALSE?

d. When it comes to outbreaks of food and animal-borne disease, researchers and medical experts are given access to the most relevant data to help them curb the spread of disease.

Which of the following demographic combinations places one at the greatest risk of not receiving adequate health care or emergency treatment?

d. black and poor

In discussing rising health-care costs, the text points out that the baby-boom cohort includes a disproportionately large number of __________.

d. dependent and working poor people

The functionalist argues that a consumer does not have sufficient knowledge to judge the effectiveness of sophisticated treatments. This refers to the issue of __________.

d. product uncertainty

Recently, the American health-care system has been said to be "in crisis." The main reason for this assessment is __________.

d. rapidly rising costs

AIDS is transmitted primarily through __________.

d. sexual intercourse (especially anal intercourse) and the sharing of needles by drug users

In studying access to health care, sociologists find that __________ is/are most likely to affect access.

d. social inequality

The text points out that about __________ percent of Americans under age 65 do not currently have health insurance.

e. 18

When one compares life expectancy and related indicators for low-income economies and industrial market economies, one finds that low-income economies have __________.

e. None of the above

The women's movement has, over the last 30 years, sensitized the nation to health issues that critically affect women. One of the first issues around which the women's movement was able to mobilize mass support was __________.

e. abortion

The functionalist argues that prices for doctors' services are not advertised. This refers to the issue of __________.

e. lack of price competition

Which of the following are among the most important indicators of how well a society is providing health care for its population?

e. life expectancy and infant mortality

The functionalist argument that an abundance of specialists encourages the use of expensive and sophisticated treatments when simpler ones would be just as effective refers to the issue of __________.

e. misallocated supply

In Canada and some of the social democracies of western Europe, the problems arising from aging populations, lack of coverage for the poor, the challenge of controlling health-care costs, and a host of other issues are addressed through what is known as a __________ system.

e. single-payer

Every opinion poll conducted about how Americans actually felt about the Terry Schiavo case showed that strong majorities believed that __________.

e. the courts had acted wisely, and government should not interfere in highly personal, emotional issues