Lecture 9 - Death & Dying Flashcards
(68 cards)
What is the definition of death?
The irreversible cessation of brain function that can be determined by the prolonged absence of spontaneous cardiac and respiratory functions
What is the definition of dying?
The period during which the organism loses its vitality
What are the recent changes in definition of death?
Instead of “irreversible cessation” the law now describes it as “irreversible loss of the brain’s ability to control and co‐ordinate the organisms’ critical functions”
What are some signs of death?
Increased sleeping, confusion, irregular breathing, hallucinations, reduced vision, decreased urine output, skin appearance changes, cold hands & feet, decline in walking ability, eating & recognizing loved ones
What is dying trajectory?
Pattern of the disease process leading to a patient’s death
What are the 4 patterns of dying trajectories?
Sudden death, terminal illness, organ failure, and frailty
What is the sudden death trajectory?
Functioning well before rapidly declining
What is the terminal illness trajectory?
Advanced notice of a life-threatening illness, functioning declines fast
What is the organ failure trajectory?
Up & downs in functioning until a fatal failure
What is the frailty trajectory?
Usually when the body can no longer function because of advanced cognitive impairment & another disease causes the fatality like a cold
What is anorexia-cachexia syndrome?
An individual loses appetite at the end of life (anorexia) and muscle mass (cachexia)
Dying patients may face symptoms, such as nausea, difficulty swallowing, bowel irregularities, dry mouth and edema
Psychological symptoms, including anxiety, confusion, and dementia
What is a crude death rate?
The number of deaths during a given year per 100,000 population
What is age-specific death rate?
The number of deaths in a particular age group during a given year per 100,000 population (provides mortality rate for that age group)
What is the age-standardized death rate?
The number of deaths per 100,000 population that would have occurred in a given area if the age structure of the population of that area was the same as that of a specified standard population (removes age bias by using a normal distribution to be able to compare different populations)
What is the leading cause of death for age 1-24?
Accidents, suicide & cancer
What is the leading cause of death for age 25-44?
Accidents, suicide, cancer, & heart disease
What is the leading cause of death for age 45-64?
Cancer, heart disease, & accidents
What is the leading cause of death for age 65+?
Cancer, heart disease, & stroke
How does marriage impact mortality?
Married people tend to have lower mortality rates compared to people who have never married (observed for both men and women across all adult age groups)
What is the myth of 10,000 steps?
Myth that was debunked as Abbasi found that walking does decrease mortality but walking over 7,500 steps and pace of walking does not provide additional benefits
What are the disadvantages of being an evening person?
Related to increased mortality risk later on & Didikoglu found that they are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors
How does education impact mortality rate?
Education tends to lower mortality rate because they are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors
How does occupational status impact mortality?
People with lower status jobs die younger because of unhealthy habits, obesity, etc.
What are other factors that impact mortality?
Air pollution, loneliness, political economy, religious involvement, exercise, chronotype, or hip fracture