Question

A family member knows that you are taking classes for your Healthcare Management Degree. They just returned from a physician checkup and they were confused by the terminology the medical professional was using at the office. They mentioned several activities related to primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. You are going to explain each of these types of prevention, remembering that your family member does not have medical terminology experience, in detail. You are also for each one of the preventions list an example that “your” family member can relate too.

Answer 1

Prevention in health care, means the actions designed or planned for preventing or decreasing the hazards or dangers to health. Prevention is an important aspect of health care.Prevention is of three categories: Primary prevention, Secondary prevention and Tertiary prevention.

Now let's see each of them in detail, so that it will be clear to you.

Primary prevention: Primary prevention means preventing or avoiding the occurrence of a disease or health hazard. The exposure to a disease causing environment is prevented in primary prevention. The resistance of the body is made to improve to prevent diseases. The person is advised to follow healthy behaviors to avoid certain diseases, before the disease occurs.

Eg:1.Vaccinating against Hepatitis B is done, so that the person should not get Hepatitis B disease and this is done in a healthy person not having Hepatitis.

eg :2. Mr John came for his regular health check up, his health status is normal, but he is an occasional smoker. So he is advised to stop the smoking habit. This is also primary prevention and the person is advised to change an unhealthy behavior to prevent diseases like Cancer.

Secondary prevention: Secondary prevention means actions for avoiding the ill effects of a disease or injury, that has already happened. Secondary prevention aims at early finding out of the illness and prompt treatment for the same, so that the person returns to his or her normal health status. Secondary prevention aims at slowing the disease progress, preventing the complications of the disease and also occurrence of the same infection or illness again.

Eg:1 Mrs Jane had some ECG changes and BP variations during her regular health check up. She is prescribed with some BP medications and medicines for the ECG changes by the doctor. She is advised to follow medications, and routine diet and exercises. Here secondary prevention has been done. Mrs Jane already is diagnosed with some health issues, and to prevent the progress of that, some actions are taken like medicines, diet changes, regular exercise etc. These actions allows her to live a healthy life , without complications.

Eg 2: The patient having cough and fever is diagnosed with Tonsilitis. The doctor prescribes antibiotics for five days. The actions for secondary prevention is done here.

Tertiary prevention: Tertiary prevention means the actions to ease the effect of a long term illness, so that he person will return back to his or her maximum possible level of wellness. Tertiary prevention is usually done in case of long term diseases like cancer, accidents involving the loss of a body part or head injury, stroke etc. Tertiary prevention are activities to be followed on a long term basis. The main aim is to better the injured or ill person's functional ability to the maximum, though he/she may not be able to retain the normal functioning fully.

Eg 1: Mr Dennis had a crush injury and his left lower leg was damaged very badly. Doctors had to remove his lower leg to save him. After surgery, he has to physically and mentally adjust with the situation. His wound has to be healed and artificial limb has to be fixed on right time. He is made to adjust his life with the new changes, though uncomfortable. Then his work has to be adjusted so that the strain on his left leg is lesser. All these will take several months and sometimes years. These are rehabilitation activities, where the person is making life to his best understanding his defects. This is tertiary prevention.

Eg 2: Support groups to share how to live well after a devastating disease like support group for stroke survivors etc.

Summary:

Prevention is an important aspect of health care. Sometimes a combination of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention is needed to achieve effective prevention.