Which program is an example of tertiary prevention?

Which program is an example of tertiary prevention?

• A. Community-wide nutrition program at fast-food establishments
• B. Immunoglobulin G administration within two weeks of exposure
• C. Alcoholics Anonymous
• D. An exercise program for persons who have had a stroke

Answer: (D)

Tertiary prevention aims to reduce disability and prevent complications once a disease or injury has occurred, primarily through rehabilitation and efforts to maximize function. An exercise program for people who have had a stroke fits this idea because it targets existing impairments—such as weakness, poor balance, and limited mobility—and works to restore independence, prevent secondary complications (deconditioning, contractures, falls), and improve overall quality of life. By focusing on restoring function after the event, this type of program directly seeks to reduce the long-term impact of the stroke. The other options target prevention before disease occurs or focus on general recovery without specifically reducing established disability. A nutrition program in fast-food settings aims to prevent disease in the broader population (primary prevention). Administering immunoglobulin G after exposure is preventive but before disease develops (primary prevention). While Alcoholics Anonymous supports recovery, it’s more about ongoing management to prevent relapse rather than reducing disability from a specific, established impairment, so it isn’t the clearest example of tertiary prevention.

Tertiary prevention aims to reduce disability and prevent complications once a disease or injury has occurred, primarily through rehabilitation and efforts to maximize function. An exercise program for people who have had a stroke fits this idea because it targets existing impairments—such as weakness, poor balance, and limited mobility—and works to restore independence, prevent secondary complications (deconditioning, contractures, falls), and improve overall quality of life. By focusing on restoring function after the event, this type of program directly seeks to reduce the long-term impact of the stroke.

The other options target prevention before disease occurs or focus on general recovery without specifically reducing established disability. A nutrition program in fast-food settings aims to prevent disease in the broader population (primary prevention). Administering immunoglobulin G after exposure is preventive but before disease develops (primary prevention). While Alcoholics Anonymous supports recovery, it’s more about ongoing management to prevent relapse rather than reducing disability from a specific, established impairment, so it isn’t the clearest example of tertiary prevention.