American Social Problems

Ch 6: Physical and Mental Health

Chapter Overview

I. Objectives

II. Introductory Quiz

III. What about next week’s lesson?

I. Objectives

A. Identify and discuss major problems with American systems of physical health care.

B. Identify and discuss major problems with American systems of mental health care

C. Discuss the sociological perspectives of these problems and their solutions.

II. Introductory Quiz

1. The average American lifespan is 76 years.

True

2. The amount of exercise a person gets is one of the best

predictors of longevity.

True

3. Tobacco use is the number one cause of deaths in the United

States.

True

4. Accidents are the leading cause of death among Americans from the time they are born until they reach

middle age.

True

5. The accidental death rate has increased dramatically since 1970.

False

6. Homicide is more common than suicide.

False

7. Suicide is more common among the elderly than young girls.

False

8. Daily health is more effected by contagious disease than by heart

and circulatory problems.

True

9. One can lose one’s sense of hearing and/or taste from a viral

infection.

True

10. The best way to stop the AIDS epidemic is through abstinence.

True

11. Poverty is as bad for your health as smoking cigarettes.

True

12. Almost 1/3 of Americans experience a mental disorder each

year.

True

13. The richer you are, the more prone to mental disorders you are.

False

14. Women are more prone to mental disorders.

False

15. America leads the world in health care and longevity.

False

16. Medicare is for the aged and Medicaid is for the poor, blind, and

disabled.

True

17. The best paid members of the medical community are the

physicians.

False

18. Pharmaceutical corporations have poor returns on their

investments of time, research, and marketing.

False

19. “Preventative medicine” is a hoax because if you are going to

get sick, you are going to get sick.

False

20.About 33% of homeless people have serious mental disorders.

True

21. In the US today, it is more likely that a person with a severe mental disorder will get treatment

than go to jail, compared to 30 years ago.

False

III. What About Next Week?