A geriatric patient receives calcium and vitamin D supplements to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, what type… - BCCL kharkhanda Staff Nurse - 2015

BCCL kharkhanda Staff Nurse - 2015

Community Health Nursing

Medium

Appeared in: BCCL kharkhanda Staff Nurse - 2015

Explanation

Primary prevention involves actions taken before a disease develops to prevent its occurrence entirely.
This level includes both general health promotion and specific protective measures targeted at particular diseases or at-risk groups.
Providing calcium and vitamin D supplements to a geriatric patient is a specific protective measure to prevent the onset of osteoporosis, a disease for which they are at high risk.
The goal is to avert the disease process before it begins, which is the core principle of primary prevention.

Option B: Secondary prevention focuses on early detection and treatment of a disease that is already present, often in its early, asymptomatic stages.
Option C: Tertiary prevention aims to reduce the impact of an established, long-term disease by minimizing disability and complications.
Option D: Primordial prevention consists of broad, population-level actions to prevent the development of risk factors themselves, rather than targeting a specific disease in an at-risk individual.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Levels of disease prevention to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Nurses are central to implementing all levels of prevention, from patient education (primary) and administering screening tests (secondary) to managing chronic conditions and rehabilitation (tertiary).
Correctly identifying the level of prevention helps nurses choose the most appropriate interventions and educational strategies for their patients based on their current health status and risk profile.
What if? If the patient already had a diagnosis of osteoporosis and was receiving bisphosphonate therapy and physical therapy to improve balance, the intervention would be classified as Tertiary Prevention, as the goal would be to manage the existing disease and prevent complications like fractures.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the question to identify the core action and the patient's health status. The action is giving supplements to 'reduce the risk' of a disease.
The patient is 'geriatric', which places them in an at-risk group, but there is no mention that they already have osteoporosis.
Recall the definitions of the four levels of prevention: Primordial (preventing risk factors), Primary (preventing disease onset), Secondary (early detection), and Tertiary (managing existing disease).
Match the scenario to the definition. The intervention occurs before the disease has started, aiming to prevent it. This directly aligns with the definition of Primary Prevention.
Rule out the other options. It is not screening (Secondary), not managing an existing disease (Tertiary), and not a broad societal measure to prevent risk factors (Primordial).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Levels of disease prevention
Stem keywords: geriatric patient, calcium, vitamin D, supplements, risk of osteoporosis, prevention
Lead-in keywords: what type of prevention
Clinical cues: The patient is described as 'geriatric', indicating an at-risk population.
Clinical cues: The intervention is to 'reduce the risk', implying the disease has not yet occurred.

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