Disease prevention

Disease prevention refers to the measures taken to prevent diseases, rather than treating them or handling their symptoms. The prevention of disease is a key component of public health and healthcare.

Types of prevention

There are three types of prevention: primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Primary prevention

Primary prevention aims to prevent disease or injury before it ever occurs. This is done by preventing exposures to hazards that cause disease or injury, altering unhealthy or unsafe behaviours that can lead to disease or injury, and increasing resistance to disease or injury should exposure occur.

Secondary prevention

Secondary prevention aims to reduce the impact of a disease or injury that has already occurred. This is done by detecting and treating disease or injury as soon as possible to halt or slow its progress, encouraging personal strategies to prevent re-injury or recurrence, and implementing programs to return people to their original health and function to prevent long-term problems.

Tertiary prevention

Tertiary prevention aims to soften the impact of an ongoing illness or injury that has lasting effects. This is done by helping people manage long-term, often-complex health problems and injuries (e.g. chronic diseases, permanent impairments) in order to improve as much as possible their ability to function, their quality of life and their life expectancy.

Methods of prevention

Methods of prevention of diseases include vaccination, health education, sanitation, personal hygiene, and healthy diet.

See also

• Public health
• Healthcare
• Vaccination
• Health education
• Sanitation
• Personal hygiene
• Healthy diet

Disease prevention Resources
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