In preventive care, which level aims to prevent disease by addressing risk factors before disease develops?

• A. Primary
• B. Secondary
• C. Tertiary
• D. Quaternary

Answer: (A)

Preventing disease before it starts is the primary level of prevention. It focuses on reducing or eliminating risk factors in healthy individuals so illness never develops, through actions like vaccination, promoting healthy lifestyles (not smoking, balanced diet, regular exercise), and reducing exposures that contribute to disease.

Secondary prevention centers on finding disease early (often before symptoms) to prevent progression, such as screening tests and timely treatment. Tertiary prevention aims to lessen the impact of an established disease by reducing complications and helping recovery. Quaternary prevention focuses on avoiding overmedicalization and unnecessary interventions.

So, the option describing addressing risk factors before disease develops aligns with primary prevention.