Introduction to Health and Human Services (D390)

Correct Answer:

A. A baby is born with a small heart defect that will not present symptoms until later in life.

Explanation:

Chronic illnesses are long-term conditions that often persist for life or require continuous management. A congenital heart defect, even if asymptomatic at birth, represents a chronic illness because it is a lasting medical condition that can affect the child’s health throughout their lifetime. It requires monitoring, possible interventions, and lifelong care.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. An elderly female develops pneumonia while walking outside in the cold.

Pneumonia is an acute illness—it comes on suddenly, requires immediate treatment, and typically resolves with care.

C. A young athlete tears a ligament in her knee, requiring immediate surgery.

A torn ligament is an acute injury, not a chronic illness. It is sudden and caused by trauma, even if recovery takes time.

D. A pregnant woman requires antibiotic injections to treat an infection that may be harmful to the baby before she delivers.

This describes an acute infection, which is treatable and short-term. It is not considered a chronic illness.

Correct Answer:

B. non-verbal

Explanation:

Non-verbal communication refers to the transfer of information without words, using body language, posture, eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions. In this case, the health services coordinator is not focusing on what is being said but rather on how the client’s body communicates feelings or attitudes. Recognizing non-verbal communication is vital in healthcare because it can reveal emotions, concerns, or discomfort that the client may not verbalize directly.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. verbal

Verbal communication involves spoken or written words. While verbal communication is important in client interactions, the question specifically emphasizes awareness of body language, facial expression, and gestures, which are non-verbal rather than verbal.

C. written

Written communication includes letters, emails, notes, or medical records. The scenario does not involve written words but rather direct observation of physical cues during the meeting, which excludes written communication as the correct choice.

D. persuasive

Persuasive communication aims to influence another person’s thoughts, decisions, or actions. The coordinator in this situation is not trying to persuade but rather is observing the client’s expressions and behaviors. This makes persuasive communication an inaccurate answer.

Correct Answer:

D. Do you have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor's office or shopping?

Explanation:

An independent living disability refers to challenges in performing instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), such as shopping, managing finances, or attending appointments. The BRFSS identifies this with the question about doing errands alone, since it highlights limitations in living independently within the community.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Do you have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions?

This question identifies cognitive disability, not independent living.

B. Do you have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs?

This question assesses mobility disability, not independent living.

C. Do you have difficulty dressing or bathing?

This question identifies a self-care disability, not independent living.

Correct Answer:

A. Advocacy group

Explanation:

An advocacy group is an organization that works to raise awareness, influence policies, and support individuals affected by a specific issue. The Susan G. Komen group raises awareness of breast cancer and funds research to improve prevention and treatment. This clearly reflects advocacy because they represent and promote the needs of individuals at risk for or affected by breast cancer, while also supporting research and public health initiatives.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. Continuity of care

Continuity of care refers to consistent, coordinated medical services a patient receives across different providers and over time. This concept applies to individual healthcare delivery, not fundraising or awareness campaigns by external groups.

C. Health literacy

Health literacy is the ability of individuals to understand, process, and use health information to make informed decisions. While advocacy groups may improve health literacy indirectly, the Susan G. Komen group’s primary role is raising awareness and funding research, not teaching personal health literacy.

D. Plan of action

A plan of action refers to a detailed, step-by-step strategy to achieve a specific goal. While the group may use plans of action to organize events, their overall identity is as an advocacy group rather than a simple plan of action.

Correct Answer:

D. heart disease, pancreatitis, diabetes

Explanation:

Chronic illnesses are long-lasting health conditions that usually progress slowly and often require ongoing treatment or lifestyle adjustments. Heart disease is a chronic cardiovascular condition, diabetes is a lifelong endocrine disorder that requires strict management, and pancreatitis can become chronic when inflammation persists over time, leading to lasting damage. These three conditions represent chronic illnesses because they are long-term, may worsen without management, and cannot be cured quickly.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. bronchitis, cancer, diabetes

Diabetes is chronic, and certain cancers can be chronic, but bronchitis is typically an acute respiratory condition, especially when caused by infection. Chronic bronchitis exists, but without the term “chronic” specified, this option is misleading and less accurate compared to option D.

B. infection, bronchitis, broken leg

Infection is usually acute and resolves with treatment, bronchitis is often acute unless labeled “chronic,” and a broken leg is an acute injury that heals within weeks or months. None of these qualify as true chronic illnesses in their general form, so this option is incorrect.

C. broken arm, runny nose, high blood pressure

High blood pressure is a chronic illness, but a broken arm is an acute injury, and a runny nose is a symptom of acute conditions like allergies or colds. Since two of the three are not chronic illnesses, this option does not represent a correct group of chronic conditions.

Correct Answer:

B. Extending time allowed during testing for students with cognitive disorders

Explanation:

Long-term accommodations are provided for permanent or ongoing conditions that significantly affect learning or performance. Cognitive disorders such as dyslexia, ADHD, or processing disorders are long-term conditions that do not resolve quickly. Extending testing time addresses these persistent challenges, ensuring equal opportunity and accessibility. Since these conditions require support throughout the student’s education, this is the correct example of a long-term accommodation.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Desk alterations to accommodate a full-leg cast

A leg cast is temporary and will be removed once the injury heals. Desk alterations in this case are a short-term accommodation, not long-term.

C. Note taker to accommodate dominant broken arm

A broken arm is an acute injury expected to heal fully. While a note taker is a helpful short-term accommodation, it is not needed long-term once the student recovers.

D. Providing recorded lectures to a student with the flu

The flu is an acute illness lasting days to a couple of weeks. Providing recorded lectures is only a short-term adjustment until the student returns, not a long-term accommodation.

Correct Answer:

C. diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma

Explanation:

Chronic illnesses are diseases that last for a long time, often throughout a person’s life, and usually require continuous medical care and lifestyle adjustments. They are not quickly resolved and often have no complete cure. Diabetes requires lifelong management of blood sugar, high blood pressure involves ongoing cardiovascular monitoring and medication, and asthma is a long-term respiratory condition needing consistent control. These three are classic examples of chronic illnesses because they persist over years and significantly affect health if not properly managed.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. asthma, covid-19, broken arm

Asthma is chronic, but COVID-19 is primarily an acute viral infection, even though some people may experience long-term effects. A broken arm is an acute injury that heals within weeks or months and does not qualify as a chronic illness. Therefore, this option mixes one chronic condition with acute conditions, making it incorrect.

B. high blood pressure, flu, heart disease

High blood pressure and heart disease are indeed chronic illnesses. However, the flu is an acute viral infection that typically resolves within days to weeks. Including the flu makes this option inaccurate because chronic illnesses must last long-term, while the flu is temporary.

D. arthritis, asthma, infection

Arthritis and asthma are chronic illnesses, as they persist for long durations and require continuous care. However, an infection is usually acute, treatable, and often resolves with medication or the immune system’s response. Including infection makes this option invalid because it does not fully represent chronic illness conditions.

Correct Answer:

A. The use of strategies to help a patient overcome resistance to a treatment plan

Explanation:

Motivational interviewing is a client-centered communication technique designed to help patients explore and resolve ambivalence about making a change. It uses strategies such as open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries (OARS) to encourage patients to find their own motivation for healthier behaviors. The goal is not to force change but to reduce resistance and build readiness by supporting autonomy, emphasizing empathy, and guiding patients toward self-identified reasons for change.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. The use of empathy to encourage a patient to complete a difficult task

While empathy is an essential part of motivational interviewing, the technique involves more than just empathy. It uses structured strategies to reduce resistance and promote behavior change.

C. Maintaining focus on what the patient is always expressing

This describes active listening, not motivational interviewing. While listening is a component, motivational interviewing emphasizes guiding clients toward behavior change through targeted strategies.

D. Using an activity to refocus the mind away from pain or other problems

This is distraction therapy, not motivational interviewing. Distraction helps manage discomfort but does not address motivation, ambivalence, or readiness for change.

Correct Answer:

A. Asking the client about preferences

Explanation:

Client engagement means involving clients actively in their own care, ensuring their voices, needs, and preferences are heard and respected. Asking about client preferences directly supports engagement because it empowers clients to participate in decision-making and reinforces their autonomy. This approach builds trust, improves satisfaction, and enhances adherence to care plans since clients feel valued and included.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. Institutionalizing a homeless individual

This action removes autonomy and decision-making from the client, which works against engagement. Engagement focuses on collaboration, not forcing institutional care.

C. Advocating a facility’s best interests

This prioritizes the organization’s needs over the client’s needs. True engagement requires centering care around the client, not the facility.

D. Requiring compliance with medication orders

This is directive and authoritarian. While medication adherence is important, requiring compliance without considering the client’s input undermines engagement instead of promoting it.