Prevenció

Prevenció is the Catalan term for prevention, referring to actions and strategies intended to avert the occurrence of disease, injury, or harm, or to lessen its consequences. In public health, prevenció operates across individuals, communities, and policy environments to reduce exposure to risk factors and to promote protective conditions.

Prevenció is commonly described through three interrelated levels: prevenció primària aims to prevent the disease from developing (vaccination, health promotion, environmental safety); prevenció secundaria seeks to detect and treat disease early to stop progression (screening programs, early diagnosis); prevenció terciària seeks to minimize disability and complications once disease is established (rehabilitation, chronic disease management).

Strategies include universal measures applied to whole populations, selective measures for high-risk groups, and indicated measures for individuals showing early signs of disease. Interventions span vaccination, hygiene, nutrition, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol control, occupational safety, and policy actions like taxation, labeling, and urban design.

Effectiveness varies by context and disease, and is assessed through epidemiological indicators, cost-effectiveness analyses, and quality-adjusted life-year considerations. The aim is to maximize health gains while respecting autonomy and equity.

Historically, prevention frameworks were formalized in public health by models such as the primary–secondary–tertiary scheme by Leavell and Clark (1965), which remains influential in guiding prevention programs today.

Challenges include resource constraints, disparities in access, behavioral determinants, and balancing preventive measures with individual choice. Ongoing research emphasizes evidence-based interventions and the integration of prevenció into health systems, workplaces, schools, and communities.