PREVENTION KEY

Laws making workplaces, restaurants, and bars 

completely smoke-free can reduce heart attack 

hospitalizations by 8%–17% within a year.3,5,6 

Federal laws that address U.S. air quality have 

contributed to a decrease of 54% of six common 

air pollutants since 1980.

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The health of the American public has improved on many fronts over

the last decades—from decreasing incidence of lung cancer in men

to large reductions in the number of childhood lead poisoning cases.

But as previous modules highlight, many diseases and illnesses are 

increasing in frequency. Though the reasons for these increases are often 

unknown, to the extent that the causes are recognized or suspected,

preventive measures are desirable. Public health focuses on prevention

of disease and health promotion rather than the diagnosis and treatment 

of diseases.

WHAT IS PREVENTION?

Prevention activities are typically categorized by the following three 

definitions:

1. Primary Prevention—intervening before health effects occur, through 

measures such as vaccinations, altering risky behaviors (poor eating 

habits, tobacco use), and banning substances known to be associated 

with a disease or health condition.8,9

2. Secondary Prevention—screening to identify diseases in the earliest 

stages, before the onset of signs and symptoms, through measures such 

as mammography and regular blood pressure testing.10

3. Tertiary Prevention—managing disease post diagnosis to slow or stop 

disease progression through measures such as chemotherapy, rehabilitation, and screening for complications