Which of the following activities is an example of secondary prevention?

Appeared in: RRB Nsg. Superintendent -29 April-2025 (shift-2nd)

Explanation

Secondary prevention aims to detect and treat diseases at their earliest stages, often through screening, before symptoms develop.
A mammogram for a 50-year-old woman with no history of disease is a classic example of a screening activity.
The goal of this screening is the early diagnosis of potential breast cancer to improve treatment outcomes and prevent disease progression.

Option A: This is an example of primary prevention. The focus is on health promotion and education to prevent diseases from occurring in the first place.
Option B: This is an example of tertiary prevention. Cardiac rehabilitation is for patients with an existing heart condition, aiming to restore function and prevent further complications.
Option C: This is an example of tertiary prevention. Changing a dressing is part of managing an existing condition (a wound) to promote healing and prevent infection or other complications.

Visual 1: Flowchart: Illustrating the progression from primary to secondary to tertiary prevention with examples for each level.
Visual 2: Infographic: A table comparing the goals, focus, and examples of the three levels of health prevention.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Levels of Health Prevention (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a crucial role in all three levels of prevention, from educating communities (primary), to conducting screenings (secondary), to providing rehabilitative care (tertiary).
Understanding these levels helps nurses to plan and implement appropriate patient care and public health initiatives.
What if the 50-year-old woman had a strong family history of breast cancer? The mammogram would still be secondary prevention, but the screening might be recommended at an earlier age or with greater frequency, highlighting the role of risk assessment in prevention strategies.

How to Approach the Question

First, recall the definitions of the three levels of prevention: Primary (preventing disease), Secondary (screening/early detection), and Tertiary (treating/rehabilitating an existing disease).
Analyze the activity described in each option.
Categorize each activity: Is it aimed at preventing a disease from starting, detecting it early, or managing an established condition?
The school program is education to prevent disease (Primary).
Cardiac rehab is for an existing condition (Tertiary).
Changing a dressing is for an existing wound (Tertiary).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full RRB Nsg. Superintendent -29 April-2025 (shift-2nd)

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