Question

In your own words, define each level of prevention.

Mammograms, which are x-rays used to detect breast cancer, are a classic example of secondary prevention. Do mammograms prevent breast cancer? Why or why not? What is the point of screenings such as mammograms?

Give 3 examples of interventions at each level of prevention (that are NOT listed on the website/chart above). Be specific about what intervention you are discussing and what disease it will prevent.

If a person has diabetes and you are educating them on the importance of limiting processed foods, which level of prevention would this fall into and why?

At which level should medical care/public health focus our efforts and why?

Answer 1

Prevention has a dominant role in community nutrition practice. It is defined comprehensively to include an array of activities that prevent, delay the onset or reduce the seriousness of disease and its complications. A major goal of public health practice is to implement an intervention to alter the adverse consequences of the natural history of disease and health-related events. This intervention can occur at any time during the natural history of the disease or health-related event. Prevention is categorized as primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

Primary prevention activities promote health and protect against exposure to risk factors that lead to health problems. Primary prevention focuses on reducing or removing risk factors by changing the environment and the community, as well as, family and individual life. This includes nutrition education and anticipatory guidance to develop and maintain healthful food and exercise behaviors.

Secondary prevention focuses strategies to stop or slow the progression of disease. It includes screening and detection for early diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Secondary prevention activities target those who are more susceptible to health problems because of family history, age, lifestyle, health condition, or environmental factors.

Tertiary prevention is directed at managing and rehabilitating persons with diagnosed health conditions to reduce complications, improve their quality of life and extend their years of productivity. Feeding clinics for children with special health care needs is an example of tertiary prevention.

Mammography is a screening test for breast cancer. It's used to find breast cancer early, when the chances of survival are highest. The benefits of screening mammography vary by age. Women ages 50-69 get the most overall benefit for a number of reasons. Yes, getting regular screening mammograms lowers the risk of dying from breast cancer. Although the benefits of mammography are real, a woman who gets regular mammograms may still be diagnosed with breast cancer and unfortunately, may still die from the disease.

Screening tests may include laboratory tests to check blood and other fluids, genetic tests that look for inherited genetic markers linked to disease, and imaging tests that produce pictures of the inside of the body. These tests are typically available to the general population; however, an individual's needs for a specific screening test are based on factors such as age, gender and family history.

If a person has diabetes and we are educating them on the importance of limiting processed food, then it would fall into primary level of prevention, because Primary prevention includes nutrition education and guidance to develop and maintain healthful food and exercise behaviors. Medical care/public health’s focus our efforts in secondary level of prevention, because it includes screening and detection for early diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.