Question

Categorize the three levels of prevention that assist healthcare professionals to advance quality of life and health. Describe what level of prevention you may use most with your patients and why.

Answer 1

Ans) Three levels of prevention:

- improving the overall health of the population (primary prevention)
- improving (secondary prevention)
- improving treatment and recovery (tertiary prevention).

- Primary prevention: routine immunization programmes are established in some form in all countries, and in most cases are well developed and effective. However, arrangements for delivery of vaccine programmes are under-developed in some countries, especially for minority populations. Some Commonwealth of Independent States have seen an increase in vaccine preventable diseases following the breakdown of services available in the Soviet era.
Secondary prevention: routine screening for major forms of cancer now exists in many countries, but not in all of them. Screening programmes are not always evidence-based and systemic health checks for noncommunicable diseases are not routine in most countries.
Tertiary prevention: lack of availability and affordability of treatment for early stage cancers is a limiting factor in some countries. Staff need training in evidence-based treatment and management approaches for noncommunicable diseases, and modern equipment.

Tertiary prevention is the level of prevention which is to be used in patients as it focuses on the treatment aspects & rehabilitation.