Quiz 6: Special social issues in maternal mental health
Please choose the one, most correct answer to each question or statement.
- Poor women are more likely to have mental health problems because:
- They are lazy
- They may suffer from malnutrition
- They usually have too many children
- They don’t have access to church
- Women feel supported if:
- They are left alone to sort out their problems
- They are told that they will be able to manage
- The community disapproves of women with mental illness
- They are given practical help with their problems
- Why is it difficult for poor women to access help for mental health problems?
- They are confused and out of touch with reality and so cannot get help
- They have the same access as everyone else so should have no more difficulties
- The women may not feel worthy of support
- They are supported by the Department of Social Development and so have good access to mental health care
- How can a care provider support a woman with few resources?
- Tell her to get a job
- Listen to her, show kindness and respect
- Inform her husband that she needs more care
- There is nothing that can be done, that is the job of a social worker
- What typical teenage behaviour can be confused with symptoms of mental illness?
- Aggression or withdrawal
- Chewing gum
- Having acne
- Being sexually active
- How can a health or social worker support a pregnant teenager?
- Tell her to behave like an adult; she is going to be a mother
- Advise her to make better choices for her future
- Warn her that she is irresponsible: sexually transmitted diseases and lack of contraception are dangerous
- Don’t judge her, show kindness and respect
- In South Africa, what percentage of pregnancies are unintended (unplanned)?
- None, all are intended
- 6% are unintended
- 16% are unintended
- 60% are unintended
- Which statement regarding unwanted pregnancy and mental health is true?
- All women with mental illness should terminate their pregnancies
- Once a woman has had a termination, she will always be mentally ill
- The choice to terminate or keep a pregnancy can cause mental distress
- Adoption is the best option for mental wellbeing
- Does a health worker need to provide information on termination?
- No, this is a personal decision
- Yes, she is legally required to provide information
- Sometimes, it depends on how far advanced the pregnancy is
- Always, she needs to assist with providing terminations
- Which statement regarding adoption is true?
- A closed adoption means that the identity of the birth parents are not given to the adoptive parents
- A closed adoption means that the door is closed so that the birth mother can say goodbye to her baby in private
- A disclosed adoption means that the adoptive parents’ HIV status must be known
- A disclosed adoption means that the identity of the birth parents are not given to the adoptive parents
- What makes it more likely for refugees to suffer from mental illness?
- Most foreigners are mentally ill
- Refugees are supporting families back home
- They are not more at risk because communities usually welcome foreigners and provide support
- Refugees may have suffered from violence during war and might lack a reliable support system
- Which of the following statements about domestic violence is true:
- These are acts of violence committed by a stranger in one’s home
- Domestic violence is rare in South Africa
- Domestic violence is likely to increase during pregnancy
- Only men can suffer from domestic violence
- With reference to domestic violence, the letters IPV stand for the words:
- Internal perforation – violent
- Indigo, purple, violet – bruise categories
- Independent personal victim
- Intimate-partner violence
- Emotionally abusive behaviour is:
- Your own fault for choosing an abusive partner
- Letting your emotions get in the way of your behaviour
- The repeated use of harmful behaviours to control someone
- Not letting your behaviour be influenced by how you are feeling
- The ‘cycle of violence’ occurs because:
- The woman hopes that the abuser will change, but the behaviour keeps being repeated
- Violence is like a cyclone in the damage it can cause
- Cycling on the road causes road rage in car drivers
- The abuser will need to ‘get on his bike’ and leave because of what he has done
- What are some of the possible psychological effects of abuse?
- Feeling helpful
- Feeling hopeful
- Feeling humiliation
- Feeling hungry
- What are some of the warning signs of emotional abuse?
- Excessive spending
- Often going partying without a partner
- Being restricted in seeing family and friends
- Wearing clothing like skimpy tops and short skirts
- How can a care provider support an abused mother?
- Tell her that she must leave the abuser
- Listen to her story
- Ask her why she lets him get away with it
- Tell her to go to the police station so that she can lay a complaint
- Child neglect is:
- Failure to get the child’s attention
- Failure to get the child to school on time
- Neglecting to pick up after the child has thrown food on the floor
- Failure to provide adequately for the child’s emotional or physical needs
- What is the best way for a care provider to help an abused child?
- Contact Social Services or Child Welfare because the child’s life is at risk
- Ignore the problem, the child will grow up and leave home anyway
- Hit the mother so she knows what it feels like
- Threaten to send her husband to jail as he is part of the problem
