Question

Difficulty: MediumHealth Promotion and Disease Prevention

A public health nurse is designing a comprehensive community health initiative aimed at reducing the burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a disproportionately affected urban neighborhood. Which of the following planned interventions is the best example of a secondary prevention strategy?

  1. A
    Advocating for local policies to increase the availability of fresh produce in community corner stores.
  2. Partnering with local pharmacies to offer free hemoglobin A1c testing to adults over age 45.Answer
  3. C
    Creating a peer-led support program for residents who are learning to manage newly prescribed insulin regimens.
  4. D
    Developing a middle school curriculum that teaches adolescents about the nutritional content of fast food.

Answer

The best example of a secondary prevention strategy is partnering with local pharmacies to offer free hemoglobin A1c testing to adults over age 45.
Secondary prevention focuses on early detection, screening, and prompt intervention for a disease or condition. Offering free hemoglobin A1c testing is a screening activity designed to identify individuals with prediabetes or early-stage type 2 diabetes before severe complications arise, making it a classic example of secondary prevention.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the core objective of the question.
Determine which of the listed community interventions represents secondary prevention.
Accurate classification of prevention levels is essential for community health planning and evaluation.
2
Define the characteristics of secondary prevention.
Secondary prevention focuses on early detection, screening, and prompt treatment to halt disease progression before it becomes symptomatic or causes irreversible damage.
Comparing each option against the definition of secondary prevention will isolate the correct answer.
3
Evaluate each intervention against the levels of prevention.
Advocating for fresh produce and educating adolescents are primary prevention (preventing disease). The insulin support group is tertiary prevention (managing existing disease). The hemoglobin A1c testing is a screening tool.
Screening activities are the hallmark of secondary prevention, making the hemoglobin A1c testing the correct choice.

Key Concept

Levels of Disease Prevention
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