DQ: Compare and contrast the three different levels of health promotion (primary, secondary, tertiary)
DQ: Compare and contrast the three different levels of health promotion (primary, secondary, tertiary)
DQ: Compare and contrast the three different levels of health promotion (primary, secondary, tertiary)
Primary prevention, secondary prevention, and tertiary prevention are the three levels of health promotion. “Depending on the patient and where they are in their health care journey, the nurse uses the different levels to determine the patients’ education needs” (Falkner, 2018).
Primary prevention is the first line of defense against disease and illness. Health promotion and education are included at this level. Primary prevention encourages people to get their suggested and recommended vaccinations as well as have their wellness exams. The nurse should address any social or genetic risk factors that the patient may have, as well as educate the patient on how to prevent those risk factors from becoming an illness or disease. Nutritional education, exercise education, possible community resources for specific programs or groups, smoking cessation, and any other education that can help prevent diseases and illnesses are all educational needs for these patients.
Secondary prevention focuses on early disease detection and treatment before it progresses (Falkner, 2018). This would occur in the early stages of the disease, when health screenings and early treatment would take place. These patients’ educational needs would include the importance of “health promotion and how to implement measures to prevent further complications” (Falkner, 2018). Educating the patient on the significance of adhering to the doctor’s orders, attending all follow-up appointments, and having all necessary treatments/scans/exams/labs performed as ordered.
The Tertiary Prevention level is the third. This level is reached when a disease process has already caused some kind of permanent damage to the patient (Falkner, 2018). On this level, the patient may have undergone or will undergo rehabilitation. If the patient is returning home from rehab, they may require additional resources in order to function on a daily basis. The main goal is to educate patients on how to avoid complications and to improve the patient’s quality of life (Falkner, 2018). Education on the use of new medical equipment, new medication, the disease process, and possibly how to function with any new setbacks the individual may have acquired as a result of the disease’s permanent damage may be required.
The three levels of health promotion are primary, secondary, and tertiary. All levels are important in disease prevention and providing starting points for health care practitioners to promote good, effective change in patients. Nursing is important at all levels because nurses can participate in almost every stage of the promotion process. Within the three tiers of promotion, there are five steps. Some of the phases involved are “health promotion and specific protection (primary prevention); early diagnosis, timely treatment, and disability limitation (secondary prevention); and restoration and rehabilitation (tertiary prevention)” (Edelman & Mandel, pg. 18).
Primary prevention includes “health promotion and specific protection” (Edelman et al, pg. 18). The primary goal of prevention is to keep disease from spreading and to focus on measures that will help people live healthier lives. “Its goal is to make an individual or a population less susceptible to disease or malfunction” (Edelman et al, p. 14). Nurses must support preventative and corrective actions in order to improve patient health. There are two subcategories of primary prevention in addition to health promotion and health protection. Health promotion can include educating a patient about their health or diet. This type of promotion includes any type of instruction that promotes a healthy lifestyle. Anything that protects one’s health would keep the patient from becoming infected. For example, during the winter, people could be immunized against the influenza virus.
Screening and early diagnosis are examples of secondary prevention measures that aid in the treatment of an existing health condition, disease, or dangerous circumstance. “Secondary prevention encompasses everything from early disease detection and treatment to disability reduction by preventing or delaying the effects of advanced disease” (Edelman et al, p. 18). During secondary prevention, “early detection occurs in the window of time shortly before symptoms appear, stimulating initial treatment and delaying the onset of more significant symptoms” (Murray, R., Zentner, J., Yakimo, p. 42). It is simple to distinguish between primary and secondary prevention. Primary prevention focuses on how to avoid or reduce the likelihood of a disease or issue occurring before it occurs and provides several tips to promote a healthy lifestyle. Secondary prevention, on the other hand, emphasizes screening and encourages early detection and treatment before a serious disease develops.
Tertiary prevention is the final level of prevention that promotes health. “Tertiary prevention refers to the person’s optimum function or maintenance of life skills through long-term therapy and rehabilitation” (Murray et al, p. 42). This type of prevention includes treatment, rehabilitation, rapid treatment, and patient education. Tertiary prevention is typically used when a disability or disease cannot be reversed or is irreversible. This level of prevention should be viewed as treatment rather than prevention. The disease has already been established, and the focus is now on minimizing the condition’s negative effects and maintaining good health. The nurse must “ensure[s] that persons with disabilities receive services that allow them to live and work according to their ability using the remaining resources available to them” (Edelman et al, p 19). Primary and secondary prevention treatment is primarily aimed at preventing disease and detecting it early. Once the illness has progressed, the goal of tertiary care is to prevent further complications. All three levels are important for disease prevention, but they also have an impact on nurse health promotion.