Prevention Stages
Primary prevention :
Reducing the risk of disease or disability in a healthy population.
- Example: To create a sense of well being and health, patients are be advised to eat nutritious meals and exercise daily.
- Example: To prevent seniors from falling, the community hospital may offer a program on fall prevention.
Secondary prevention :
Attempts to prevent the disease from progressing by detecting it early.
- Example: Early intervention to treat children age 3 and below in order to prevent future complications.
Tertiary prevention :
Attempts to reduce the damage caused by symptomatic disease by focusing on mental, physical, and social rehabilitation. Unlike secondary prevention, which aims to prevent disability, the objective of tertiary prevention is to maximize the remaining capabilities and functions of an already disabled patient.] Goals of tertiary prevention include: preventing pain and damage, halting progression and complications from disease, and restoring the health and functions of the individuals affected by disease.
- Example: PTSD support groups
