Module 5 Section 3

Question 1

QUESTION: THE STAGES OF PREVENTION CONTINUUM

Answer 1

The stages of prevention are a continuum, meaning that at certain points along the continuum there is an overlap between stages. Initially, the stages of disease prevention did not include primordial prevention, which would explain the obvious overlap between primordial and primary prevention, and the naming of primary (first), secondary (second), and tertiary (third) prevention

Question 2

How would you describe the overlap between primordial and primary prevention? Consider the
similarities and differences between primordial and primary prevention

Answer 2

Dr. Carpenter’s Response:

Both primordial and primary prevention address the risk factors or root causes (i.e. upstream factors) that affect your likelihood of acquiring a disease. However, in general, primordial prevention aims to avoid the development of the risk factor, while primary prevention aims to manage, modify, or eliminate the risk factor. Primordial prevention is often focused on the S D Hs and on laying the path for young people to avoid developing the risk factor.

Question 3

primary prevention

Answer 3

Question 4

secondary prevention

Answer 4

Question 5

tertiary prevention

Answer 5

Question 6

PRIMARY PREVENTION OF H P V RELATED CANCERS

Answer 6

• Primary prevention aims to reduce the occurrence of a disease by identifying and modifying risk factors. Globally, human papillomavirus (H P V) infections are the most common sexually transmitted infections and can lead to six types of cancer, including cervical and anogenital cancers. Without vaccination, it is estimated that 75% of sexually active Canadians will have an H P V infection in theirlife.
• H P V vaccination is most effective when administered before becoming sexually active. In Canada, H PV vaccines are federally funded and administered in schools. Since 2013, H P V vaccination programs were offered to females from grades four to seven. Currently, most provinces in Canada have expanded their HPV vaccination program to also include males. Vaccination of individuals regardless of gender was an important step in this prevention strategy as it recognized that HPV is not just a burden on the female population

Question 7

VIDEO: SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CERVICAL CANCER

Answer 7

• Screening plays a critical role in secondary prevention because it enables the early detection and treatment of disease. One example of effective secondary prevention is the screening for cervical cancer.
• Although highly curable, cervical cancer kills thousands of women annually, especially in low-income countries. The Kilimanjaro Cervical Cancer Screening Project uses cell phones as a means of screening for cervical cancer in Tanzania. Nurses and community health workers working in remote villages are trained to test for cervical cancer using vinegar and cell phones. Once they have taken a high definition picture of the vinegar-stained cervix, they are able to burn areas of concern and to send the photos to gynecologists in academic centers, should they need advice on treatment

Question 8

VIDEO: TERTIARY PREVENTION FOR PARKINSON’S DISEASE

Answer 8

Tertiary prevention involves the treatment and control of disease. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disease of the nervous system. This disease usually affect adults ages 50 - 60, and is 50% more common in men than women. The cause of Parkinson’s disease is attributed to a combination of genetic mutations, which can be hereditary, and environmental factors (e.g. exposure to toxins

Question 9

ACTIVITY: STAGES OF PREVENTION

Answer 9

Question 10

Learn about each stage of prevention and its corresponding example.

Answer 10

PRIMORDIAL PREVENTION: SANITATION
Primordial prevention targets underlying health determinants by modifying social policies to improve the health of a population. As sanitation provides clean drinking water to a community, it would be an example of primordial prevention. By providing safe drinking water, the risks that come with unsafe water, such as earlier death, hunger, and undernourishment, are prevented.

PRIMARY PREVENTION: TOOTH BRUSHING
Primary prevention strategies are more personal. They target causes and risk factors for specific diseases. Brushing your teeth falls under the primary prevention level because it is a preventative measure against cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease.

SECONDARY PREVENTION: BLOOD SUGAR TE
Secondary prevention includes procedures that detect and treat pre-clinical pathological changes and thereby control disease progression. For example, in people living without diagnosed diabetes, regularly testing blood sugar levels would help them identify the onset of diabetes early.

TERTIARY PREVENTION: STROKE REHABILITATIONSTING
When a disease has developed and is in its clinical phase, tertiary prevention strategies help to soften the impact on the patient’s function, survival, and quality of life. For example, patients that have had a stroke may undergo rehabilitation to regain mobility in an affected area.

Question 11

You have been tasked with developing a health promotion strategy for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (C V D). Of the different levels of health prevention, which one(s) would be most effective?

Answer 11

Dr. Carpenter’s Response:

When dealing with a health promotion intervention for C V D, one could use any of the three levels of prevention. You can even use the same strategies for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies. For example, the primary prevention strategies of a healthy diet and exercise may be applicable at the primary, secondary, and tertiary stages of disease progression. Primordial prevention can also be used to prevent C V D, through policy and interventions that prevent the development of the risk factors for the disease.