Preventive medicine aims to prevent disease.
Instead of finding a cure, preventive medicine focuses on efforts to prevent disease and health conditions before they occur. Preventive medicine has been separated into four areas: primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary. Doctors, nurses, physician assistants, public health officials and other medical professionals compose the health-care teams that offer preventive medicine.
Types
Regular brushing of teeth can prevent cavities.
Preventive medicine has been separated into four categories. Primary prevention are measures taken to avoid disease. Immunizations, hand washing, condom use and dental care are all examples of primary prevention. Secondary prevention involves disease detection and screening, such as Pap smears and mammograms, before a health concern develops. Tertiary prevention are steps taken to help decrease complications and restore function of a diagnosed disease. For example, depressed patients will take anti-depressant medication to control their symptoms. Quaternary prevention is defined as "a set of health activities that mitigate or avoid the consequences of unnecessary or excessive interventions in the health system," according to Prevented.org. A healthy, balanced diet and daily exercise are the cornerstones of this level of prevention.
Health-care Certification
Checking blood pressure can help prevent disease.
Prospective physicians can obtain board certification in preventive medicine by participating in a two to three year residency in the field. The residency also includes obtaining a master's of public health degree, according to the American College of Preventive Medicine.
Benefits
Studies have repeatedly shown preventive care measures, such as proper hand-washing, vaccinations, eating a healthy, balanced diet and daily exercise, all contribute to a longer health span.
Controversy
The cost of universal preventive care for diseases is limited by financial, staff and equipment resources. Controversy often results among the medical community, health insurers, and the public about the best way to save lives most cost effectively.
For example, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggestion to increase the recommended age that women should receive annual mammograms from 40 to 50 years old caused significant outcry among the medical community and public.
Health Insurance
Health insurers now recognize that preventive medicine can cut costs in the long-run. From reimbursing breast pumps for working breastfeeding mothers to covering health club memberships, many health insurers offer reimbursement for preventive health measures.
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