Home | About eMedicine | Contact Us
 

Recognizing Depressive Disorders Comorbid With Medical Illnesses in the Elderly (26:49)
Comorbid Depression and Anxiety in Geriatric Patients Challenges and Treatment (28:01)
Antidepressants and Anxiolytics in the Elderly: A Focus on Safety (23:59)
Question-and-Answer Session (8:01)

TEST INSTRUCTIONS

Please answer the 10 questions below, and then click the SUBMIT button. You must correctly answer at least 7 questions to pass; however, you may retake an incorrectly answered question as many times as you wish.

Feel free to refer to the course materials on the course navigation page both before and during this test. Please note that ALL the material on which the questions are based can be found in the slide presentations (without the audio).

Once you have passed the test, you will be directed to your personal CME account to complete the course survey (required by ACCME regulations) and to receive your electronic CME certificate (PDF file). We hope you find this online activity both educational and enjoyable, and thank you once again for participating.

  1. Which of the following diseases are associated with increased rates of depression?

    A. Cardiovascular disease
    B. Cancer
    C. Alzheimer disease
    D. A and B
    E. All of the above

  2. In what group are the rates of major or minor depression highest?

    A. Nursing home residents
    B. Primary care clinic patients
    C. Elderly persons who live in the community
    D. Same for all groups

  3. On which measure do "exclusive-etiologic" and "inclusive" diagnostic schemes differ significantly?

    A. Predictive validity
    B. Convergent validity
    C. Longitudinal course
    D. None of the above
    E. All of the above

  4. What factors influence the discrepancy in reporting depressive symptoms?

    A. Proxy's level of burden
    B. Patient's level of insight
    C. Patient's degree of physical illness
    D. B and C
    E. All of the above

  5. What are the 2 most common anxiety disorders in the elderly population?

    A. Panic disorder
    B. Generalized anxiety disorder
    C. Posttraumatic stress disorder
    D. Phobic illness
    E. B and D
    F. All of the above

  6. Which of the following is true regarding patients with comorbid anxiety and depression?

    A. Treatment is more difficult
    B. Lower response rates to treatment
    C. Take longer to respond to treatment
    D. All of the above

  7. In which group are anxiety symptoms in depressed individuals predictors of mortality?

    A. Elderly men
    B. Elderly women
    C. Elderly women and men
    D. Anxiety is not a predictor of mortality for either sex

  8. What is the first line of pharmacotherapy for depression in the elderly population?

    A. SNRIs
    B. SSRIs
    C. Benzodiazepines
    D. MAOIs

  9. What should the psychiatric evaluation of an elderly patient consist of in addition to a focused psychiatric history and examination?

    A. Cognitive examination
    B. Focused general examination
    C. Neurological examination
    D. A and C
    E. All of the above

  10. Which therapy is favored for the treatment of mild or major depression in geriatric patients?

    A. Pharmacotherapy alone
    B. Psychotherapy alone
    C. Combined pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy
    D. All of the above