National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) Practice Test

Which of these is an aspect of tertiary prevention?

1. Early detection of disease

2. Preventing the onset of disease

3. Rehabilitation after disease onset

4. Health education

The correct answer is: Rehabilitation after disease onset

Tertiary prevention focuses on managing and rehabilitating individuals who have already experienced disease or injury to prevent further complications and improve quality of life. This aspect is critical because it aims at minimizing the impact of an ongoing illness or injury, helping patients regain their functional capabilities as much as possible. For instance, after a patient has had a stroke, tertiary prevention would involve rehabilitation techniques to improve mobility and independence, as well as strategies to prevent further strokes. In contrast, aspects like early detection of disease and health education pertain primarily to secondary prevention, which focuses on early identification and intervention to halt the progression of disease. Preventing the onset of disease is classified under primary prevention, where the goal is to avoid the initial occurrence of disease entirely. Each of these categories plays a unique role in public health and patient care, but the rehabilitation component distinctly defines tertiary prevention.