Children's Oral and Dental Dental Health (Workbook) | Page 4

Introduction to Nursing in a Community Setting [722.525]

PREVENTION & PROTECTION
Modern health care embraces the concept of disease prevention and health protection, which refers
to the efforts of society to promote, protect and sustain the health of the population1. This description
is based on the customary public health categorisation of primary prevention, secondary prevention
and tertiary prevention, where preventive actions are developed and implemented by a wide range of
health disciplines to address the many facets of disease, disability and injury control and management.
With this diversity of use has come differences’ in the way in which ‘prevention’ is categorised and
communicated within the health sector. However, a shared understanding of frameworks of
prevention can facilitate coordination of effort, collaboration on new solutions, effective use of
valuable resources and sharing of experiences and expertise.

Figure 1: Clinical course of a disease linked to a prevention stages.

LEVELS OF PREVENTION
Social & Environmental
Determinants of Health

Risk & Protective Factors

Pre-clinical
Phase

Clinical Phase

Post-clinical Phase

TERTIARY PREVENTION

SECONDARY PREVENTION

PRIMARY PREVENTION

PRIMORDIAL PREVENTION

Addressing the
determinants of health
through changes in
public health policy and
societal structures
• Establishment or
maintenance of
conditions aimed at
minimising hazards to
health
• A whole population
approach
• A focus on the promotion
of / advocacy for social
change

Introduction of measures
that eliminate, reduce or
control exposure to risk,
and promote factors that
are protective of health
• Measures aimed at the
whole population,
selected groups and
healthy individuals
• Widespread changes that
reduce the average risk in
the whole population
• A reduction of particular
exposures among
identified higher risk
groups or individuals.
• A focus on the promotion
of community
participation and
partnership

Detect and treat
illness/disease at an
early stage when
treatment is more
effective
• Availability of measures,
to individuals and
populations, for the early
detection of
asymptomatic biological
changes, disease
precursors or
asymptomatic disease.
• Provision of prompt and
effective intervention to
address any departure
from good health
• A focus on the promotion
of individual, family and
community empowerment
and self-determination

Prevent relapses and
further deterioration
through follow-up and
rehabilitation
• Reduce the
consequences of
established disease
through effective
management to reduce
the progress or
complications of a
disease and improve
health outcomes and
quality of life
• Introduction of measures
to:
• reduce impairment and
disability;
• prevent or delay
subsequent events
(including prevention of
recurrences);
• minimise suffering; and
promote the individuals
adjustment to a chronic
condition
• A focus on the promotion
of self-care /management

© Bill Deans 2015

1

National Public Health Partnership (2006). The Language of Prevention. Melbourne: NPHP.

Page | 3