PAST YEAR 2006 & 2007 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS COMPILATION
CREDIT TO: RCSIans ‘08
SUMMER 2006
Q1. Describe stigma and the relevance of this concept to disability.
HBS 36 –
• Stigma:
– Definition: A condition/attribute marking an individual as culturally
inferior/unacceptable. Stigma can be:
• ‘Discreditable’ (not known by the world at large)
versus
• ‘Discrediting stigma’ (condition that is obvious and visible to others).
• ‘enacted’ stigma (actual behavioural discrimination)
versus
• ‘felt’ stigma (individual’s expectations of negative reactions).
• Language concerning disability stigmatising
– Dis - ‘ability’
– Invalid [2 meanings]
– Handicap [cap in hand = beggar]
-Link & Phelan Conceptualisation of Stigma
Overall outcome of Stigma
1. For individual
• Secrecy
• Fear
• Unwilling/afraid to access support
• Increased anxiety/stress
2. For society
• Discrimination and victimisation
• ‘Innocent’ versus ‘Guilty’
• ‘Risk group’ versus ‘Risk behaviour’
Q2. Describe the four factors which contribute to persuasion in health
promotion.
Source factors in persuasion
1. Credibility[e.g. messages on dangers of recreational drug use -
doctor or rock star? ]
2. Expertise[e.g. messages on caring for young babies -mother vs
doctor?]
3. Trustworthiness[e.g. messages on benefits of food
supplements -supplement manufacturer vs doctor]
,4. Likeability[e.g. messages on donations to charity -media
person vs politician]
5. Attractiveness[e.g. messages in advert promoting on eating a healthy
diet -a more/less physically attractive actor]
6. Similarity[e.g. messages on sensible alcohol use -same or different in terms of age,
sex, culture, dress sense etc]
WHAT?: Message factors in persuasion
Fear appeal vs logic[fear appeal may work if motivation needed to
change behaviour]
One-sided vs two-sided argument[more educated prefer two-sided]
Number of strong vs weak arguments [strong is
better]
Repetition[more is better…booster adverts, etc]
BY WHAT MEANS?: Channel factors in persuasion
In person[e.g. drug reps calling on doctors vs posting information /
election campaigners calling]
On radio vs TV vs newspaper[ -which medium heard by which
audiences -older/younger; late at night etc]
On audiotape or videotape [e.g. time to listen/rehear message]
On computer/internet
TO WHOM?: Receiver factors in persuasion
Personality[e.g. those with internal locus of control less easily
persuadable]
Expectations[e.g. prior forearming about the nature of the
persuasion…’this person will try to convince you to have
surgery’…….forearming often increases resistance]
Strength of pre-existing attitudes[e.g very wary of taking
any medication vs never really thought about it]
Level of pre-existing knowledge about issue[little/lot]
Q3. Discuss if and when fear can be a useful strategy in health promotion
messages.
Fear-drive model proposes that greatest change occurs with moderately fearful
message
(no fear = no reason to change)
(too frightening = denial of the message)
Parallel responses model proposes that individuals engage in 2 parallel
responses
1) danger control – coping with external environment to avert danger
2) fear control – coping with internal environment to reduce unpleasant
emotions
if information is given to reduce both danger and fear, then high fear message
will increase level of behavioural change achieved
, for eg TV advertising for seatbelts (boy causes head injury to girlfriend in car
crash)
Q4. List 3 criteria for measuring health systems performance and describe one of
these in detail.
Coverage what % of people access services
Effectiveness use of proven interventions that bring
+ Efficiency maximum benefit for least cost
Equity of access to care based on need, not on
ability to pay (“fairness” as important as
“effectiveness”)
Responsiveness to service users needs
Equity: everyone should get an equal chance of getting a health services regardless of
their social economy status. A carpenter being sent to the hospital with serious
external bleeding should get the same treatment with a politician being admitted to the
hospital because of stroke.
Q5. Discuss how poverty can affect people’s health.
limited access to education
- in south Africa for e.g, economic forces compel men to live and work away from
their families in. Girls grow up with limited access to education and economic
opportunities; and these factors in turn promote commercial sex, sexually transmitted
infections, including AIDS.
- pregnant mother is not educated about pregnancy and things related to it. E.g: lack of
nutritional supplements and infectious disease screening during pregnancy, lack of
post partum care lead to death of mother and premature infant death.
poor= no money
- prefer to stay at home when sick and before they knew it, the disease has reach a
critical stage and can’t be treated.
- Spread of communicable disease is inevitable. One sick young infant left
untreated can cause the whole family to get infection. E.g: diarrhoea
Poor people has limited access to clean water, adequate dietary supplement and
suitable environment.
- they usually live in area with low sanitation.
Q6. Explain the ethical principles of autonomy and justice. Illustrate ONE of
these principles using the case study from your team project.
CREDIT TO: RCSIans ‘08
SUMMER 2006
Q1. Describe stigma and the relevance of this concept to disability.
HBS 36 –
• Stigma:
– Definition: A condition/attribute marking an individual as culturally
inferior/unacceptable. Stigma can be:
• ‘Discreditable’ (not known by the world at large)
versus
• ‘Discrediting stigma’ (condition that is obvious and visible to others).
• ‘enacted’ stigma (actual behavioural discrimination)
versus
• ‘felt’ stigma (individual’s expectations of negative reactions).
• Language concerning disability stigmatising
– Dis - ‘ability’
– Invalid [2 meanings]
– Handicap [cap in hand = beggar]
-Link & Phelan Conceptualisation of Stigma
Overall outcome of Stigma
1. For individual
• Secrecy
• Fear
• Unwilling/afraid to access support
• Increased anxiety/stress
2. For society
• Discrimination and victimisation
• ‘Innocent’ versus ‘Guilty’
• ‘Risk group’ versus ‘Risk behaviour’
Q2. Describe the four factors which contribute to persuasion in health
promotion.
Source factors in persuasion
1. Credibility[e.g. messages on dangers of recreational drug use -
doctor or rock star? ]
2. Expertise[e.g. messages on caring for young babies -mother vs
doctor?]
3. Trustworthiness[e.g. messages on benefits of food
supplements -supplement manufacturer vs doctor]
,4. Likeability[e.g. messages on donations to charity -media
person vs politician]
5. Attractiveness[e.g. messages in advert promoting on eating a healthy
diet -a more/less physically attractive actor]
6. Similarity[e.g. messages on sensible alcohol use -same or different in terms of age,
sex, culture, dress sense etc]
WHAT?: Message factors in persuasion
Fear appeal vs logic[fear appeal may work if motivation needed to
change behaviour]
One-sided vs two-sided argument[more educated prefer two-sided]
Number of strong vs weak arguments [strong is
better]
Repetition[more is better…booster adverts, etc]
BY WHAT MEANS?: Channel factors in persuasion
In person[e.g. drug reps calling on doctors vs posting information /
election campaigners calling]
On radio vs TV vs newspaper[ -which medium heard by which
audiences -older/younger; late at night etc]
On audiotape or videotape [e.g. time to listen/rehear message]
On computer/internet
TO WHOM?: Receiver factors in persuasion
Personality[e.g. those with internal locus of control less easily
persuadable]
Expectations[e.g. prior forearming about the nature of the
persuasion…’this person will try to convince you to have
surgery’…….forearming often increases resistance]
Strength of pre-existing attitudes[e.g very wary of taking
any medication vs never really thought about it]
Level of pre-existing knowledge about issue[little/lot]
Q3. Discuss if and when fear can be a useful strategy in health promotion
messages.
Fear-drive model proposes that greatest change occurs with moderately fearful
message
(no fear = no reason to change)
(too frightening = denial of the message)
Parallel responses model proposes that individuals engage in 2 parallel
responses
1) danger control – coping with external environment to avert danger
2) fear control – coping with internal environment to reduce unpleasant
emotions
if information is given to reduce both danger and fear, then high fear message
will increase level of behavioural change achieved
, for eg TV advertising for seatbelts (boy causes head injury to girlfriend in car
crash)
Q4. List 3 criteria for measuring health systems performance and describe one of
these in detail.
Coverage what % of people access services
Effectiveness use of proven interventions that bring
+ Efficiency maximum benefit for least cost
Equity of access to care based on need, not on
ability to pay (“fairness” as important as
“effectiveness”)
Responsiveness to service users needs
Equity: everyone should get an equal chance of getting a health services regardless of
their social economy status. A carpenter being sent to the hospital with serious
external bleeding should get the same treatment with a politician being admitted to the
hospital because of stroke.
Q5. Discuss how poverty can affect people’s health.
limited access to education
- in south Africa for e.g, economic forces compel men to live and work away from
their families in. Girls grow up with limited access to education and economic
opportunities; and these factors in turn promote commercial sex, sexually transmitted
infections, including AIDS.
- pregnant mother is not educated about pregnancy and things related to it. E.g: lack of
nutritional supplements and infectious disease screening during pregnancy, lack of
post partum care lead to death of mother and premature infant death.
poor= no money
- prefer to stay at home when sick and before they knew it, the disease has reach a
critical stage and can’t be treated.
- Spread of communicable disease is inevitable. One sick young infant left
untreated can cause the whole family to get infection. E.g: diarrhoea
Poor people has limited access to clean water, adequate dietary supplement and
suitable environment.
- they usually live in area with low sanitation.
Q6. Explain the ethical principles of autonomy and justice. Illustrate ONE of
these principles using the case study from your team project.
