The Power of Prevention

Prevention of Disease

• The main goal of prevention is to reduce the incidence and prevalence of a disease.

Levels of Prevention

• There are four levels of prevention:
  • Primary prevention: focuses on addressing the social determinants of health.
  • Secondary prevention: focuses on early detection and treatment of a disease.
  • Tertiary prevention: (not mentioned in the text, but often included in the four levels)
  • Quaternary prevention: (not mentioned in the text, but often included in the four levels)
• The levels of prevention aim to prevent disease, detect disease early, treat disease, and mitigate the effects of disease.

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)

• The natural history of disease refers to the progression of a disease from its onset to its resolution.
• IPC is founded on the scientific disciplines of epidemiology, microbiology, and immunology.
• The IPC Technical and Clinical Hub team is located at the World Health Organization (WHO) Headquarters.
• The IPC Hub team coordinates the work on infection prevention and control, including guidance development, implementation, and research.
• The IPC Hub team works jointly with the Service Delivery and Safety (SDS) division.
• The purpose of IPC is to prevent and control the spread of infections, and to protect patients, healthcare workers, and visitors from infections.

Test your knowledge on the importance of prevention in public health. Learn about the different levels and approaches to prevention, and understand why it is cost-effective and beneficial for both individuals and the population as a whole.