Health Prevention

Health prevention consists of three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary is considered health promotion or prevention. In this level, the focus is on educating the individual about precautions that should be taken to improve health conditions. Secondary is the diagnosis and treatment phase. Once an illness is detected, your healthcare provider will select the proper way of treating it. Tertiary is the rehabilitation phase. This is when you are recovering from your illness. A person’s health is still compromised in this phase, so one still needs to be careful.

The most important level is the first, primary. It is the key to maintaining a healthy, functioning body. Health prevention is stressed in many places. Healthcare professionals visit schools to let the students know the risks of certain lifestyles. There are pieces of literature found at other locations that discuss mental, physical and sexual health. These brochures can be found not only at high schools but clinics, hospitals and crisis centers.

Scientists have created a set of disease prevention and health promotion objectives known as Healthy People 2010. It discusses a variety of topics concerning public health. They have found that there are 10 health issues that seriously affects America. These issues are known as the Leading Health Indicators. They are as follows:

1. Physical Activity

2. Overweight and Obesity

3. Tobacco Use

4. Substance Abuse

5. Responsible Sexual Behavior

6. Mental Health

7. Injury and Violence

8. Environmental Quality

9. Immunization

10. Access to Health Care

People can live longer, healthier lives by understanding the importance of these issues. Access to such information is very important when it comes to personal health. It is best when one can avoid any unnecessary health complications. By taking the proper precautions one can increase the quality and years of a healthy life.