What are primary secondary and tertiary prevention?
Ava Arnold
Updated on January 17, 2026
The primary prevention approach focuses on preventing disease before it develops; secondary prevention attempts to detect a disease early and intervene early; and tertiary prevention is directed at managing established disease in someone and avoiding further complications.
What are the 3 levels of prevention?
- Primary Prevention—intervening before health effects occur, through.
- Secondary Prevention—screening to identify diseases in the earliest.
- Tertiary Prevention—managing disease post diagnosis to slow or stop.