Question

Which client would the nurse consider most at risk for systemic lupus erythematosus? A. A 25-year-old Asian woman taking birth control pills B. A 20-year-old African-American female with epilepsy C. A 40-year-old male with a history of asthma D. A 50-year-old Caucasian female with osteopenia

Short answer

A. A 25-year-old Asian woman taking birth control pills B. A 20-year-old African-American female with epilepsy C. A 40-year-old male with a history of asthma D. A 50-year-old Caucasian female with osteopenia Answer: B. A 20-year-old African-American female with epilepsy

Step-by-step solution

Identify risk factors for SLE

To determine which client is most at risk for SLE, it is important to consider the following risk factors: age, sex, race, and medical history. Generally, females, those of younger age, and people of certain racial backgrounds (e.g., African American or Asian) are more likely to develop SLE. Some medical conditions or medications can also increase the risk.

Analyze each client's risk factors

Let's examine each client's risk factors: A. A 25-year-old Asian woman taking birth control pills: - Age: younger (higher risk) - Sex: female (higher risk) - Race: Asian (higher risk) - Medical history: taking birth control pills (can increase risk) B. A 20-year-old African-American female with epilepsy: - Age: younger (higher risk) - Sex: female (higher risk) - Race: African-American (higher risk) - Medical history: epilepsy (not a known risk factor for SLE) C. A 40-year-old male with a history of asthma: - Age: middle-aged (lower risk) - Sex: male (lower risk) - Race: not specified (unknown risk) - Medical history: asthma (not a known risk factor for SLE) D. A 50-year-old Caucasian female with osteopenia: - Age: older (lower risk) - Sex: female (higher risk) - Race: Caucasian (lower risk compared to African-American or Asian) - Medical history: osteopenia (not a known risk factor for SLE)

Determine the most at-risk client

Based on the risk factors, we can rank the clients from highest to lowest risk for SLE: Client B > Client A > Client D > Client C. The 20-year-old African-American female with epilepsy (Client B) has the highest number of risk factors and is therefore most at risk for developing systemic lupus erythematosus.