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Capacity assessment — ABFM Board MCQ

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ModerateEthics, professionalism, practice managementCapacity assessmentABFM Board

A 74-year-old man with mild cognitive impairment refuses hospitalization for pneumonia. He explains his condition, the proposed treatment, risks of refusal, and his reason for preferring home care. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: C — He has decision-making capacity for this choice

Capacity is decision-specific and depends on understanding, appreciation, reasoning, and communicating a choice, not agreement with the physician.

Reference: American Family Physician clinical reviews and AAFP guidance: https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp.html