Which type of prevention targets individuals who have developed an asymptomatic disease to prevent complications?

Which type of prevention targets individuals who have developed an asymptomatic disease to prevent complications?

• A. Primary prevention
• B. Secondary prevention
• C. Tertiary prevention
• D. Quaternary prevention

Answer: (B)

Secondary prevention focuses on detecting disease early in its asymptomatic phase and preventing its complications from arising. When a person harbors a condition but has no symptoms yet, screening and early treatment aim to interrupt progression and avert adverse outcomes, such as using cholesterol or blood pressure screening to catch risk before events like heart attack or stroke occur, or cancer screening to find disease before it causes symptoms. Primary prevention would aim to prevent the disease from developing in the first place (like vaccines or lifestyle modifications in healthy individuals). Tertiary prevention targets people who already have established disease to reduce damage and improve function (rehabilitation, management to prevent further decline). Quaternary prevention focuses on avoiding overmedicalization and unnecessary interventions in patients.

Secondary prevention focuses on detecting disease early in its asymptomatic phase and preventing its complications from arising. When a person harbors a condition but has no symptoms yet, screening and early treatment aim to interrupt progression and avert adverse outcomes, such as using cholesterol or blood pressure screening to catch risk before events like heart attack or stroke occur, or cancer screening to find disease before it causes symptoms.

Primary prevention would aim to prevent the disease from developing in the first place (like vaccines or lifestyle modifications in healthy individuals). Tertiary prevention targets people who already have established disease to reduce damage and improve function (rehabilitation, management to prevent further decline). Quaternary prevention focuses on avoiding overmedicalization and unnecessary interventions in patients.