THE TRIPLE DEFINITION OF PREVENTION PREVENT: REDUCE: primary prevention / secondary prevention / DELAY: promoting wellbeing early intervention tertiary prevention Primary prevention is aimed Secondary prevention is Tertiary prevention is aimed at people who have no more targeted. Interventions at minimising the effect of particular health or care are aimed at people who disability or deterioration and support needs. The have an increased risk of for people with established intention is to help a person developing health or care or complex health avoid developing needs for and support needs, or at conditions. The goal is to care and support, or help carers with an increased support people to regain a carer avoid developing risk of developing support confidence and skills, and support needs. needs. The goal is to help to manage or reduce need slow down or reduce any where possible. For people Primary prevention includes further deterioration, to who have already reached universal policies such as prevent further needs from the point of crisis, the goal health promotion, first aid developing. is also to prevent that learning, dementia-friendly reoccurring. communities, enhancing Secondary prevention factors that are known includes short-term Tertiary prevention includes to help protect all people provision of wheelchairs, reablement, rehabilitation, (e.g. having a sense of handyman services, ‘social bed-based intermediate belonging, enjoying good prescribing’ services, care, outpatient diabetic relationships, housing telecare, earlier diagnosis, and vascular support, and good physical e.g. The NHS Health Check support to self-manage health), raising awareness programme/ screenings conditions, medical initiatives such as National etc., more targeted adherence programmes, HIV Testing Week, vaccinations (e.g.. the flu home adaptations, 6 universal services such as jab given to people assistive technology... community activities that over 65...) prevent social isolation, universal vaccinations (e.g. polio vaccine...) 6. Please note that there is no hard and fast rule as to where each of these examples fit – of course, some examples could apply to more than one type of prevention. Before using these examples it is important to think about the particular condition as well as the stage of the condition you are applying it to. It is, however a useful way of ensuring preventative interventions are being adopted across the pathology of a condition or illness. British Red Cross Prevention in action [email protected] l l 5