Question

Week 1 Discussion Topics

• Distinguish between the levels of prevention.
• Provide two (2) examples of each type of prevention.
• Identify the circumstances and settings in which each level is indicated. Explain your answers.

Answer 1

There are mainly three levels of prevention .They are primary prevention, secondary prevention and tertiary prevention.

Primary prevention involves the prevention of occurrence of disease or injury. Primary prevention includes providing immunizations against diseases, nutrition education to prevent malnutrition prenatal classes for pregnant women, family planning and sex education. Primary prevention is given as means of individual and mass health education, it can be as a group approach or person to person. Primary prevention can be done in all sectors of health care. For example mass health education campaigns can be started against COVID 19 pandemic emphasizing the need for break the chain, facemask.

Secondary prevention involves health screening against diseases. It includes physical examination, blood investigations to rule out the disease. Eg .pap smear testing,vital signs monitoring, lipid profile,TB screening like tuberculosis skin test.Secondary prevention includes identifying and screening the high risk population by conducting medical health services. For example conducting PCR testing for suspected patients COVID 19 help to recognize the disease earlier and to reduce the transmission of the pandemic.

Tertiary prevention involves maximization of recovery after an injury to prevent the complications. It includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, nutritional counseling exercise rehabilitative services .Tertiary prevention offers rehabilitative services to patients to promote the quality of life.Involving support groups in caring of patients with chronic disease .