IAHC Chronic Disease Management and Prevention 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client with obesity is reluctant to exercise due to joint pain. An IAHC coach's most appropriate response is:
- Prescribe a low-impact physical therapy protocol
- Explore low-impact activities such as swimming or cycling that reduce joint strain while building fitness (Correct answer)
- Tell the client to push through the pain to achieve results
- Suggest the client pursue weight loss surgery before starting exercise
Correct answer: Explore low-impact activities such as swimming or cycling that reduce joint strain while building fitness
IAHC coaches collaborate to find movement options that match the client's physical realities, building sustainable activity habits without aggravating existing conditions.
Question 2: How does IAHC coaching address medication adherence in clients with chronic conditions?
- Coaches adjust prescriptions when clients report side effects
- Coaches support adherence through habit-building and refer clients to prescribers to address concerns or side effects (Correct answer)
- Coaches encourage clients to stop medications once lifestyle improves
- Coaches are not permitted to discuss medications in any context
Correct answer: Coaches support adherence through habit-building and refer clients to prescribers to address concerns or side effects
IAHC coaches can support the habit of taking medications consistently while referring clients to their prescribing physician for any clinical questions or concerns.
Question 3: In IAHC coaching, which psychological concept explains why clients with chronic illness sometimes feel helpless to change?
- Confirmation bias
- Learned helplessness (Correct answer)
- Cognitive dissonance
- Classical conditioning
Correct answer: Learned helplessness
Learned helplessness occurs when repeated experiences of failure or loss of control lead clients to believe their actions cannot change outcomes, reducing motivation.
Question 4: A client with prediabetes asks what lifestyle change has the greatest evidence for preventing progression to type 2 diabetes. An IAHC coach would explain:
- Strict low-carbohydrate ketogenic dieting
- 5–7% body weight reduction combined with 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly (Correct answer)
- Eliminating all sugar from the diet entirely
- Taking berberine supplements instead of making dietary changes
Correct answer: 5–7% body weight reduction combined with 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly
The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) demonstrated that modest weight loss (5–7%) and 150 minutes of weekly activity dramatically reduce diabetes progression risk.
Question 5: IAHC coaching for clients with metabolic syndrome focuses on which combination of lifestyle changes?
- Caloric restriction only
- Increased physical activity, improved diet quality, stress management, and sleep optimization (Correct answer)
- Pharmaceutical supplementation protocol
- High-intensity training program alone
Correct answer: Increased physical activity, improved diet quality, stress management, and sleep optimization
Metabolic syndrome requires a multi-domain lifestyle approach addressing inactivity, poor nutrition, chronic stress, and sleep disruption — all within IAHC coaching scope.
Question 6: When collaborating with a client's healthcare team, an IAHC coach demonstrates which professional behavior?
- Overriding medical recommendations if they conflict with coaching goals
- Communicating respectfully within the multidisciplinary team and staying within coaching scope (Correct answer)
- Competing with clinicians for the client's trust and attention
- Avoiding all contact with the client's medical providers
Correct answer: Communicating respectfully within the multidisciplinary team and staying within coaching scope
IAHC coaches function as part of an integrated care team, respecting clinical authority while contributing the behavioral change expertise that complements medical treatment.
IAHC Chronic Disease Management and Prevention 2
A client with obesity is reluctant to exercise due to joint pain.
An IAHC coach's most appropriate response is: