(pri-ven'shŏn )

The anticipation of harm, disease, or injury and the measures taken to block their effects.

SEE: preventive nursing;preventive medicine .

fall and injury p.

SEE: fall and injury prevention.

indicated p.The use of a preventive measure for people who have subtle symptoms or early evidence of disease.

infection p.Infection control.

primary p.Limiting the spread of illness to previously unaffected patients or populations.

rape and sexual assault p.

SEE: Rape and sexual assault prevention.

secondary p.Limiting the impact or the recurrence of an illness in patients who have been previously affected by it.

selective p.The use of a preventive measure only for people who have risk factors for a disease but not for the general population.

tertiary p.Limiting disability and other complications already present in the advanced or terminal stages of disease. Terminally ill patients should be assisted to achieve a peaceful death. Safety must be maintained both for caregivers and the patients' significant others. Contacts should be tracked and tested.

universal p.The use of a preventive measure for everyone and not just for people with symptoms of, or risk factors for, a disease.