During which period did unemployment rise sharply and nursing became unaffordable?

• A. The Roaring Twenties
• B. World War II
• C. The Cold War
• D. The Great Depression

Answer: (D)

During times of severe economic hardship, access to personal health care and services like nursing can become unaffordable because most people have little or no income. The Great Depression saw unemployment soar to very high levels and widespread poverty, so families could not pay for private nursing care or even routine health needs. That makes it the period most associated with nursing becoming unaffordable. In contrast, the Roaring Twenties were economically strong, World War II brought full employment and increased resources for health services, and the Cold War era followed with relative economic growth, so affordability was less of a barrier in those times.