Cultural Meanings of Death and Dying

Course #97364 - $30-


Study Points

  1. Discuss the changing demographic trends that contribute to the United States' multicultural landscape.
  2. Define the importance of cultural competence when working with patients and families around end-of-life issues.
  3. Compare and contrast Western and non-Western sociocultural values surrounding end-of-life topics.
  4. Describe cultural belief systems, values and norms for various racial and ethnic minority groups around death and dying issues including discussing death, attitudes towards death and dying, death rituals, grieving and bereavement, advance directives, palliative care, and other end-of-life issues.
  5. Discuss culturally sensitive communication strategies when discussing death and dying and end-of-life issues with racial and ethnic minority patients and families, including the role of interpreters.
  6. Identify best practice guidelines that reflect ethical cultural competence and sensitivity when working with racial and ethnic minority patients and families around issues related to the end of life.

    1 . According to the U.S. Census Bureau, which of the following is the largest racial/ethnic minority group in the United States?
    A) Blacks
    B) Hispanics
    C) Asian Americans
    D) Native Americans

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    2 . Which of the following states is among those with the greatest number of residents identifying as Native American?
    A) Kansas
    B) New York
    C) California
    D) South Dakota

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    3 . What three main themes are generally included in any discussion of cultural competency?
    A) Cultural sensitivity, cultural knowledge, and cultural skills
    B) Encapsulation, acculturation, and lack of Western-ways of knowing
    C) Reduction of disparities, cultural sensitivity, and cultural orientations
    D) Understanding institutional norms, cultural knowledge, and self-awareness

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    4 . Cultural sensitivity is defined as
    A) integration of cultural knowledge into daily practice.
    B) adherence to concepts of truth telling and autonomy.
    C) promotion of trust and mutual respect for cultural differences.
    D) a foundational understanding of different cultural worldviews, belief systems, and practices.

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    5 . Which of the following is NOT one of the domains of the Transcultural Assessment Model?
    A) Time
    B) Space
    C) Environmental control
    D) Help-seeking behaviors

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    6 . Which of the following is an example of behavior that characterizes a high-context culture?
    A) Focusing on what is being said
    B) Gaining information from verbal cues only
    C) Relying on shared experience and implicit messages
    D) Lack of awareness regarding the relationship between the two parties

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    7 . In order to determine the amount of physical space a patient requires to be comfortable, Chung recommends that practitioners
    A) maintain the 3-feet rule.
    B) arrange for an interpreter to assist.
    C) allow a family member to decide where everyone should sit.
    D) sit first then allow the patient to select where he/she would like to sit.

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    8 . In Hispanic families, what cultural value impacts family members' decisions regarding the use of nursing homes and hospice care?
    A) Respeto
    B) Dignidad
    C) Familismo
    D) All of the above

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    9 . In the United States and Northern Europe, what major event may have caused mourning practices to shift after the Victorian period?
    A) World War I
    B) The Civil War
    C) The Industrial Revolution
    D) The Civil Rights Movement

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    10 . Which of the following statements regarding cultural beliefs about death is FALSE?
    A) All Native Americans hold common beliefs regarding the afterlife.
    B) In Mexican culture, death is often portrayed in art, literature, and history.
    C) In Chinese culture, death is generally considered a taboo topic and is not discussed.
    D) In many Asian cultures, the ghosts of the dead are believed to be the cause of bad luck, ill health, or even death.

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    11 . In a study of older Korean individuals, all of the following were considered components of a "good death," EXCEPT:
    A) Dying without pain
    B) Dying unexpectedly
    C) Fulfilling parental duties in life
    D) Dying surrounded by one's children

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    12 . Which of the following factors is common to funerals or death rituals across all cultures?
    A) Connection to heritage
    B) Gathered community to offer support
    C) Symbols that convey culture and trigger emotions
    D) All of the above

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    13 . Which of the following cultural practices is observed on the Día de los Muertos?
    A) Burning paper money at the gravesite
    B) Cooking favorite food items of the deceased
    C) Avoiding speaking the name of the deceased
    D) Burning incense near a picture of the deceased

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    14 . Which color symbolizes death in Vietnamese culture?
    A) Red
    B) Black
    C) White
    D) Yellow

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    15 . Which of the following is NOT a factor in the lower use of advance directives among black patients compared with white patients?
    A) The need to avoid speaking about death makes advance directive use impractical.
    B) A history of oppression may result in African Americans being fearful of giving up control.
    C) African Americans' experiences with institutional racism may affect their views regarding healthcare providers.
    D) African American's beliefs regarding God's role in controlling life and death may make them less likely to consider advance directives.

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    16 . Of the following, which ethnic/racial minority group is the least likely to have an advance care plan?
    A) Alaska Natives
    B) Asian Americans
    C) Native Americans
    D) African Americans

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    17 . Patient-centered communication consists of
    A) practitioners discussing decisions with the patient first.
    B) practitioners conveying the best course of action as medical experts.
    C) the family making decisions for the patient without his or her knowledge.
    D) group discussions involving the patients and his or her (self-defined) family.

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    18 . When interpreters are viewed as neutral individuals who communicate information back and forth, this is referred to as the
    A) cultural brokering.
    B) "interpreter as conduit" model.
    C) patient-centered communication.
    D) All of the above

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    19 . Which of the following is NOT a specific quality that improves end-of-life communications via an interpreter?
    A) Acknowledging that language and culture are different
    B) Allowing enough time with the patient and family members
    C) Keeping all interpretations as close to the original statements as possible
    D) Being aware of personal discomforts that may arise given the sensitive and stressful nature of the encounter

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review



    20 . Informed consent
    A) is a one-time event.
    B) is not an essential part of healthcare in the United States.
    C) is not usually an area of care affected by cultural differences.
    D) should be a continuous process of evaluating the patient's and family's wishes.

    No support text associated with this question.Click to Review