Primary prevention for cervical cancer includes all except one

Appeared in: UPPSC 2017

Explanation

Radiotherapy is a form of treatment for invasive cancer that has already developed.
Its goal is to destroy cancer cells, manage the disease, and prevent further complications or death.
This places it under the category of tertiary prevention, which deals with managing an existing condition, not preventing its onset.
Primary prevention focuses on stopping the disease process before it begins, making radiotherapy the correct exception.

Option A: Raising the age of marriage is a primary prevention strategy because it typically delays the age of first sexual intercourse.
Option B: The use of condoms is a key primary prevention measure.
Option C: Effective and prompt therapy of STDs is considered a primary prevention strategy for cervical cancer.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Levels of Prevention in Cervical Cancer as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a vital role in all three levels of prevention for cervical cancer. This includes health education on safe sex and HPV vaccination (primary), encouraging and facilitating screening like Pap smears (secondary), and providing care and support to patients undergoing cancer treatment (tertiary).
Understanding these distinctions is fundamental for public health initiatives and patient counseling.
What if? If the question had asked for a secondary prevention method, an appropriate answer would be 'Pap smear' or 'HPV testing', as these are screening tools for early detection.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key concepts in the question: 'Primary prevention' and 'cervical cancer'.
Note the negative framing of the question, indicated by the word 'except'. This means you are looking for the option that does NOT fit the category of primary prevention.
Define primary prevention: Actions taken to prevent a disease from ever occurring by eliminating causes or increasing resistance.
Evaluate each option against this definition:
Does raising the marriage age help prevent the disease from starting? Yes, by delaying exposure to a key risk factor (early intercourse).
Does using condoms help prevent the disease from starting? Yes, by blocking transmission of the causative agent (HPV).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 57-59

Practise the full UPPSC 2017

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.