Foundational Concept 10A! Flashcards
Spatial Inequality, Social Class, Health (Care) Disparities
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Which of the following best describes the component of socioeconomic status attributable to direct individual efforts?
1. Ascribed status
2. Meritocratic competition
3. Anomic condition
4. Achieved status
What are the definitions of each?
4) Achieved Status
Ascribed socioeconmic status is based on identifiable external characteristics. Achieved status may be due to meritocratic competition or other individual efforts. Anomic conditions are those that cause a breakdown between the individual and society
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Which of the following displays a correct association?
1. High social networking and low social capital
2. High social mobility and low social capital
3. Low social class and low social capital
4. Low social networking and high social capital
3) Low social class and low social capital
Members of the lower class often have smaller number of weakc ties in social networks, and therefore have less opportunity to invest in society and reap its benefits
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Which of the following concepts are LEAST likely to coincide?
1. Hazardous waste facilities and low-income neighbourhoods
2. Tuberculosis and poor living conditions
3. Environmental pollution and high minority population
4. Globalisation and global equality
How do each of these concepts coincide?
4) Globalisation and Global Equality
Globalisation tends to create further global inequalities. Higher numbers of hazardous waste facilities tend to be found in low-income areas. Poor living conditions tend to be associated with greater health problems. Environmental pollution is more prevalent in areas with minority populations
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Which of the following trends is most likely FALSE?
1. Mortality rates are increased in low-income racial and ethnic minorities
2. Life expectancy is decreased in high-income groups
3. Birth weights are decreased in children of low-income women
4. Rates of lung cancer are increased in low-income groups
2) Life expectancy is decreased in high-income groups
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
A small town has 1000 residents, including 500 men and 500 women. In this town, 20 of the men have prostate cancer. During a calendar year, 10 more men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Assume none of the men are cured or die during the year.
What is the prevalence of prostate cancer in this population at the end of the year?
1. 10 / 480
2. 10 / 1000
3. 20 / 500
4. 30 / 1000
What is the incidence of prostate cancer in this population during the year?
1. 10 / 480
2. 10 / 1000
3. 20 / 500
4. 30 / 1000
What is the definition of prevalence and incidence?
4) 30 / 100
1) 10/480
Prevalence is the number of cases divided by the the total population during a period of time. Incidence is the total number of cases divided by the at-risk population during a period of time.
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
A low-income single mother works a part-time job and lives in a small apartment in the city. When her children grow up, they take similar jobs and live in similar housing. This is an example of:
1. Upward social mobility
2. Downward social mobility
3. Social exclusion
4. Social reproduction
4) Social Reproduction
The children remain in the same socioeconomic class as their mother, indicating a lack of social mobility
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Which of the following is true with regard to relative poverty?
1. Individuals in relative poverty have incomes below the poverty line
2. Individuals in relative poverty exhibit downard social mobility
3. Individuals in relative poverty may be in the upper class
4. Individuals in relative poverty exhibit upward social mobility
3) Individuals in relative poverty may be in the upper class
Relative poverty describes being poorer than those in the surrounding population
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
In comparison to urban centers, suburbs tend to have:
1. Larger racial and ethnic minority populations
2. Higher rates of poverty
3. Larger high- and middle-class populations
4. Higher rates of crime and homicide
3) Larger high- and middle-class populations
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Which of the following terms refers to the burden or degree of disease associated with a given illness?
1. Morbidity
2. Mortality
3. Second sickness
4. Chronicity
Define each term.
1) Mobidity
Morbidity refers to the burden/severity of the illness. Mortality refers to the deaths caused by a given illness. Second sickness describes the exacerbation of health outcomes due to social injustice. Chronicity refers to the duration of a disease.
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Compared to white Americans, which of the following racial or ethnic groups tends to have a better overall health profile?
1. African-Americans
2. Asian-Americans
3. Hispanic Americans
4. Native Americans
B) Asian-Americans
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Which of the following best describes the populations targeted by Medicare and Medicaid, respectively?
1. Medicare: mostly patients without employer-guaranteed healthcare; Medicaid: mostly patients who have recently immigrated
2. Medicare: mostly patients who have recently immigrated; Medicaid: mostly patients without employer-guaranteed healthcare
3. Medicare: mostly patients in older age groups; Medicaid: mostly patients with low socioeconomic status
4. Medicare: mostly patients in older age groups; Medicaid: mostly patients with low socioeconomic status
3) Medicare: mostly patients in older age groups; Medicaid: mostly patients with low socioeconomic status
Medicare covers patients over the age of 65, those with end-stage renal disease, and those with amyotrophic lateral scleorsis.
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Morbidity is increased in low-income groups because of all the following EXCEPT:
1. Higher rates of obesity
2. Less access to healthcare
3. Higher rates of homicide
4. Lower rates of physical activity
Why?
3) Higher rates of of homicide
Morbidity is the burden/severity of disease. High homicide rates cause increases in prevalence of the disease
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Hypertension can be diagnosed by having two or more blood pressure readings higher than 140/90 on two different occasions, separated by a week. Suppose that the criteria were changed to include anyone with a reading higher than 130/80 on at least one occasion. How would this change the prevalence of diagnosed hypertension in the population?
1. The prevalence would increase
2. The prevalence would decrease
3. The prevalence would remain the same
4. There is not enough information to determine the change in prevalence
Why?
1) The prevalence would increase
If the threshold is lowered, more people will fit the criteria, so the prevalence will also increase.
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Which of the following trends regarding healthcare disparities has NOT been documented?
1. Females are more likely to be insured than males
2. Primary care use is more likely among males than females
3. Low-income individuals have more difficulty accessing care than high-income individuals
4. LGBT individuals have more barriers to healthcare to heterosexuals
2) Primary care use is more likely among males than females
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Define Ascribed Status
Involuntary and dervies from clearly identifable characteristics, such as age, gender, and skin colour
MCAT Behavioural Sciences - Social Inequality
Define Achieved Status
Acquired through direct, individual efforts
