Deck 11: Confounding Factors

Question 1

Which of the following is not a true statement concerning infant mortality in the United States?

A)Low birth weight infants have a better chance of survival in the U.S.than either Japan or Norway.
B)International comparisons of infant mortality rates are difficult to interpret due to different definitions of infant death.
C)Teenage pregnancy and illegitimacy are highly correlated with infant mortality.
D)Infant mortality rates are among the lowest in the developed world.
E)A primary cause of infant mortality is low birth weight.

Answer 1

Infant mortality rates are among the lowest in the developed world.

Question 2

The purpose of punitive damages in medical malpractice cases is to

A)ensure that successful plaintiffs receive full compensation for their losses.
B)punish egregious behavior, much like fines in civil cases.
C)redistribute income from defendants to successful plaintiffs.
D)ensure that the cost of risk avoidance falls on providers.
E)fully compensate victims for their losses.

Answer 2

punish egregious behavior, much like fines in civil cases.

Question 3

An elderly person between the ages of 75 and 79 spends _____ times as much on health care as a person less than age 19.

A)2.
B)4.
C)5.
D)7.
E)10.

Answer 3

7.

Question 4

Which of the following is true about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States?

A)STDs are a relatively minor problem in the United States because of the widespread use of condoms.
B)Over 56 million Americans have an incurable STD.
C)The rate of infection from STDs among teenagers is falling due to condom use.
D)Except for the common cold and the flu, STDs are the most common disease in North America.
E)Both b and d are true.

Question 5

High medical care spending on the elderly is due primarily

A)to the provision of unnecessary care.
B)to the treatment of terminal illnesses.
C)to the increased use of expensive technology at the end of life.
D)to the treatment of chronic illnesses that affect the elderly.
E)to the fact that the costly end-of-life care is more likely to occur beyond age 65.

Question 6

Which of the following statements is true?

A)Over one-half of all people over age 85 are in nursing homes.
B)Almost 10 percent of all health care spending is on nursing home care for the elderly.
C)Most nursing home care is financed by private insurance.
D)Most nursing home residents over the age of 85 are male.

Question 7

The most recent studies of lifetime medical costs of treating AIDS

A)have shown a significant increase in the estimates due to earlier diagnosis.
B)have shown a significant increase due to the use of new drugs including protease inhibitors.
C)have been revised downward due to shorter and less frequent hospital stays.
D)conclude that costs will likely fall in the future die to breakthrough research in prevention.
E)all of the above.

Question 8

Which group would argue against the contention that the U.S.liability system drives up health care costs by promoting unnecessary litigation and the practice of defensive medicine?

A)The American Medical Association
B)The Health Insurance Association of America
C)American Trial Lawyers' Association
D)The American Hospital Association
E)None of the above.They all likely feel the statement is true.

Question 9

Why do welfare recipients prefer cash payments to in-kind transfers?

A)Because they don't understand the value of in-kind transfers.
B)Because they are greedy.
C)Because in most cases, cash provides a higher level of satisfaction to the recipient.
D)All of the above.

Question 10

An increase in the excise tax on alcohol

A)will have no effect on alcohol consumption.
B)will generate minimal tax revenues for the federal government.
C)coupled with a uniform drinking age nationwide would save lives.
D)will generate substantial revenues is demand is elastic.
E)all of the above.

Question 11

In 1995, _____ percent of the U.S.population was over the age of 65.By the year 2020, projections place that percentage at _____.

A)8, 16
B)10, 20
C)12, 16
D)15, 25
E)18, 30

Question 12

The nature of health care delivery will be different in the future due to

A)a rising percentage of elders in the total population.
B)an increase in acute illnesses among the population.
C)longer lives resulting in a higher incidence of chronic illness.
D)both a and c

Question 13

Tort law is based on

A)codified law
B)criminal law
C)common law
D)case law
E)all of the above

Question 14

According to the National Center for Health Statistics

A)smoking prevalence in the U.S.is declining among both males and females.
B)over 500,000 deaths annually may be attributed to alcohol- and smoking-related illnesses.
C)smoking prevalence among 18-24 year olds is rising.
D)over 20 percent of females and 25 percent of males are regular smokers.]
E)all of the above are true.

Question 15

The economic argument for legalizing drugs

A)is morally bankrupt.
B)is based on the assumption that demand is relatively price inelastic.
C)shows that economists are all libertarians at heart.
D)takes into consideration all the externalities associated with drug use.
E)is really politically motivated.

Question 16

In the future medical care spending is likely to rise, in part, due to the number of elderly rising from _______ percent of the population today to _______ percent by 2020.

A)12, over 20
B)8, over 13
C)15, over 25
D)10, over 16

Question 17

Cocaine

A)is largely non-addictive and harmless.
B)presents only a minor risk of heart attach and stroke.
C)use among pregnant women may be as high as 10 percent.
D)exposure for infants in utero is of minor medical consequence.
E)use is easy to detect from routine tests for up to 30 days after use.

Question 18

Advocates of "tort reform" often recommend which of the following changes:

A)limits on non-economic damages, including pain and suffering
B)shorter statutes of limitation
C)limits on contingency fees charged by plaintiff lawyers
D)setting up alternative dispute resolution mechanisms
E)all of the above

Question 19

Malpractice premiums amount to approximately _____ percent of total health care spending nationwide.

A)one.
B)two.
C)five.
D)eight.
E)ten.

Question 20

One of the major functions of tort law is

A)the compensation of individuals who suffer accidental losses.
B)the compensation of victims of negligent behavior.
C)to stop all injurious behavior.
D)to reward successful trial lawyers.
E)all of the above.

Question 21

The frequency of malpractice claims against physicians

A)is higher for general practitioners than any other specialty.
B)has increased dramatically since the mid-1980s for all specialties.
C)differs little among specialties.
D)is greater for those specialties that practice high-risk invasive procedures.
E)will continue to soar unless tort laws are reformed.

Question 22

The English rule of costs

A)applies only in England.
B)is the standard practice worldwide, except in the United States.
C)is a practice where the loser of a lawsuit pays all attorneys' fees and court costs.
D)results in more lawsuits filed.