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Check Your Understanding

Let’s work through an example to review all the concepts covered in this section. This is a chance for you to practice what you’ve just learned — your answers will not be tracked. Enjoy.

Check Your Understanding

1. A homeless man has been diagnosed with Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR TB), a relative rare and serious form of tuberculosis that resists the most powerful drugs. He has been staying at a shelter in a local church at night, which also houses a preschool during the day. How would the public most likely perceive this event?

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The answer is A. Although this is likely to be viewed as a higher risk event, it is not due to these reasons. It may cause higher outrage because XDR TB is: less familiar to the public, places people directly at risk, and evokes higher degrees of dread or fear.

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Yes, this is more likely to be perceived as higher risk and invoke higher levels of outrage. In this case, the perceived vulnerability of the preschool children at the church and the homeless status of the patient may produce an even stronger emotional response.

2. Long after officials declare the homeless shelter and church safe, people still avoid it. Homeless shelters around the city have trouble recruiting volunteers.

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The answer is B. People may stigmatize places long after they have been declared safe and they may avoid some groups of people who they associate with the hazard.

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People may stigmatize places long after they have been declared safe and they may avoid some groups of people who they associate with the hazard.

3. After receiving a presentation on how XDR TB is spread, staff at the homeless shelter have a hard time remembering whether they can catch it by touching bed linens or not.

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The answer is A. When people feel strong emotions, mental noise can make it difficult to hear, understand, or remember information.

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When people feel strong emotions, mental noise can make it difficult to hear, understand, or remember information.

4. A person who has been notified of his risk as a close contact to the XDR TB patient refuses to get tested.

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The answer is C. People in denial may refuse to get medical help.

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People in denial may refuse to get medical help.