Family Health Assessment Part 2

Primary Health Promotion: Aimed at keeping those healthy people healthy, preventing problems down the line. This can encompass everything from health fairs, exercise programs, encouraging proper diet, vaccinations, washing hands, wearing a mask, to more general public health decisions like helping to pass a law requiring helmets or ban smoking (Falkner, 2018) (IWH, 2015).

Secondary Health Promotion: This level is more individualized and is based in early detection and treatment of a condition, which is where health screenings such as a prostate exam or pap smear come on, like when someone has their annual check up with their primary care physician. Prevention of and/or progression with the help of nurses is key (Falkner, 2018).

Tertiary Health Promotion: The patient has already suffered from an ailment and the goal is now to help them return as close to optimal health as possible, while keeping complications at a minimum. This is the involvement of most hospital level nurses. There may already be permanent changes to the patient’s way of life that the nurse must help educate and acclimate them to with help from the other hospital resources like physical therapy or occupational therapy (Falkner, 2018).

Again, primary is where a person will receive education on a subject or condition they may not necessarily be concerned about but is a preventable with the right effort put into place. If there is a family history of diabetes, the nurse explains how controlling caloric intake, eating nutrients, and not living a sedantary lifestyle will potentially help the patient avoid a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type 2. At the secondary level, this same patient may be further concerned about DMT2 and after being educated decides it is important to have continious healthcare checkups to check their A1C level and confirm their blood sugar is under control. On the tertiary level, this same patient may be admitted to the hospital with a newly diagnosed DM2 and diabetic ketoacidosis, requiring use an insulin drip. They will need education on their new oral medications during their stay along with demonstration of checking their blood sugar so they are fully prepared to go home.

Falkner, A. (2018). Health Promotion: Health & Wellness Across the Continuum.

IWH Staff (2015). Primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. https://www.iwh.on.ca/what-researchers-mean-by/primary-secondary-and-tertiary-prevention#:~:text=Primary%20prevention%20aims%20to%20prevent,or%20injury%20should%20exposure%20occur.

RESPOND HERE

Re: Topic 3 DQ 2

There are three different levels of health promotion, primary, secondary and tertiary. “Primary prevention refers to actions aimed at avoiding the manifestation of a disease” (About, 2018). This would include such things as vaccinations, healthy eating habit or educating on the importance of not smoking. “Secondary prevention aims to reduce the impact of a disease or injury that has already occurred” (Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention | Institute for Work & Health, 2000). In order to do this, it is imperative to detect the problem early on in order to halt the disease process. Secondary prevention would include regular mammograms and pap smears or taking low dose aspirin to prevent a second heart attack or stroke. “Tertiary prevention aims to soften the impact of an ongoing illness or injury that has lasting effects” (Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention | Institute for Work & Health, 2000). This is when the damage is already done and care is aimed at lessening the long term effects of the problem. This would include things like physical or occupational therapy following a stroke or heart attack. The levels of prevention can help determine the educational needs for each patient. For instance you would want to educate young people on the dangers of smoking to include primary prevention in your education. Education of secondary prevention would include teaching women how to give themselves breast exams for early detection of breast cancer. Tertiary prevention education would be aimed at individuals following a stroke on how to rehabilitate themselves.

About. (2018). WHO EMRO | Health promotion and disease prevention through population-based interventions, including action to address social determinants and health inequity | Public health functions | About WHO. Who.Int. http://www.emro.who.int/about-who/public-health-functions/health-promotion-disease-prevention.html

Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention | Institute for Work & Health. (2000). Iwh.on.Ca. https://www.iwh.on.ca/what-researchers-mean-by/primary-secondary-and-tertiary-prevention