Tertiary prevention occurs after a disease or disability has occurred. Its primary goal is to?

• A. Cure the disease.
• B. Prevent recurrence of disease.
• C. Halt the disease or injury process and assist the person in obtaining an optimal health status.
• D. Promote mass vaccination.

Answer: (C)

Tertiary prevention focuses on what happens after a disease or disability is present: the goal is to halt the progression or complications of the condition and help the person achieve the best possible level of health and independence. This involves rehabilitation, ongoing management to prevent further damage, and efforts to minimize disability and improve quality of life. It’s not primarily about curing the disease, which isn’t always possible; it’s about reducing its impact and helping the patient function at their highest potential.

The other ideas don’t fit as well because curing the disease isn’t guaranteed and isn’t the objective of tertiary prevention, preventing recurrence is more about stopping new episodes after a disease has occurred or before it recurs (often seen in primary/secondary prevention), and promoting mass vaccination is a strategy aimed at preventing disease before it develops (primary prevention).