Core Principle of Public Health: Prevention

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on prevention in public health, distinguishing various levels and types of prevention, as well as the importance of public health interventions.

What are the two core principles central to public health?

Prevention and health equity.

What is the primary goal of public health?

To create the healthiest possible populations.

How does public health differ from clinical medicine?

Public health focuses on preventing disease, while clinical medicine deals with disease progression and treatment.

What are the four types of disease prevention?

Primordial, primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.

What is the definition of primordial prevention?

An approach that completely prevents the expression of a risk factor.

What does primary prevention aim to do?

Prevent people from becoming ill or injured.

What are some examples of primary prevention actions?

Immunizing the population, ensuring safe water supplies, and improving nutrition.

What is secondary prevention focused on?

Detecting and treating subclinical diseases or injuries.

What role does screening play in secondary prevention?

It identifies unrecognized disease in asymptomatic populations.

What is the purpose of tertiary prevention?

To reduce the impact of ongoing diseases once diagnosed.

Provide an example of tertiary prevention.

Cardiac rehabilitation programs for heart attack survivors.

What advances in the 20th century significantly improved life expectancy?

Effective control of infectious diseases, economic growth, and improved sanitation.

What has been a cornerstone of public health achievements in the 20th century?

Prevention activities such as vaccination.

How does prevention save healthcare costs?

By avoiding avertable illnesses, thus reducing the need for treatment.

What defines a society that follows primordial prevention principles?

High levels of health and low incidence of disease.

What can extensive screening lead to in a population?

Increased awareness of risks and potential lifestyle adjustments.

What are the key performance measures of a screening test?

Sensitivity, specificity, false positive fraction, and false negative fraction.

What does the sensitivity of a screening test measure?

Its ability to correctly identify a person with disease.

What are the risks associated with screening tests?

They may lead to unnecessary stress and complications from false positives.

What is overdiagnosis in the context of screening?

Detecting less consequential disease cases that may not progress.

What are universal, selective, and indicated prevention strategies?

Types of interventions for general populations, subgroups at risk, and high-risk individuals.

What is the role of WHO in public health?

To support countries in developing national prevention protocols.

What crucial aspect does public health emphasize compared to clinical medicine?

Improving the health of entire populations rather than focusing only on individual patients.

What is a significant barrier to public health funding?

Prioritization of clinical care funding over preventive measures.

What is the focus of the 21st-century public health approach?

Population health and social determinants of health.

What types of diseases do primary prevention strategies target?

Diseases that can be prevented before they occur.

What is the long-term impact of successful primary prevention?

Lower disease incidence and improved overall population health.

In terms of public health, what does 'health equity' mean?

Ensuring everyone has a fair opportunity to achieve their fullest health potential.

What are the implications of a society that focuses on tertiary prevention?

Lower overall health outcomes and life expectancy compared to a society that engages in primary prevention.

How has public health evolved in recent decades?

From individual behavior modification to a focus on population health.

What do education and behavioral change in public health aim to reduce?

Risk factors associated with diseases.

What is the objective of public health interventions?

To create systems conducive to health rather than solely controlling disease.

What is a characteristic of the population Secondaria?

They rely extensively on screening but engage in many risk behaviors.

What does secondary prevention aim to achieve through early detection?

It aims to halt or reverse the disease course.

What defines the best use of screening tests?

When the benefits of testing outweigh the risks involved.

How does the financial aspect of public health need to change?

More resources need to be allocated to prevention instead of just treatment.

What kind of preventive health measures are known to be cost-effective?

Vaccinations and sanitation improvements.

What is a key focus for public health in addressing diseases?

Designing interventions at local, national, and global levels.

What effect does early intervention have in secondary prevention?

It can potentially restore individuals to full health.

Why is investing in disease prevention considered commonsense?

It leads to reduced healthcare costs and improved quality of life.

What can be a challenge in executing public health initiatives?

The complexity of addressing social determinants of health.

What role does public awareness play in public health?

It helps individuals understand health risks and make informed decisions.

What systematic approach does public health take compared to clinical medicine?

It identifies causes of disease and aims to reduce risk in populations.

Why might some screening strategies raise ethical considerations?

They may lead to overdiagnosis and unnecessary medical interventions.

What is crucial for effective screening programs to succeed?

Reliable tests with clear benefits that outweigh potential harms.