Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Prevention: a word whose time has come.

Eli M Bower1

  • 1University of California.

The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
|January 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary

Prevention in mental health is often discussed but not implemented. Secondary and tertiary interventions, while important, are not true prevention strategies.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Pathways upstream: risks and realities of early screening efforts.

The American journal of orthopsychiatry·1978
Same author

Early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment: realities, risks, and possibilities.

The American journal of orthopsychiatry·1978
See all related articles

Area of Science:

  • Mental Health Services Research
  • Public Health Policy

Background:

  • The concept of prevention in mental health is widely valued.
  • There is a discrepancy between the acknowledgment of prevention and its practical application.
  • Existing mental health services often focus on intervention rather than primary prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically examine the definition and application of prevention in mental health.
  • To differentiate between true prevention and other forms of intervention.
  • To challenge the categorization of secondary and tertiary interventions as prevention.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of mental health intervention terminology.
  • Review of existing literature on mental health prevention strategies.
  • Argumentative critique of current practices.

Main Results:

  • Secondary and tertiary interventions are fundamentally different from primary prevention.
  • These interventions, while valuable for managing existing conditions, do not prevent their onset.
  • The current use of the term "prevention" is often inaccurate and misleading.

Conclusions:

  • True prevention in mental health focuses on averting the initial occurrence of disorders.
  • Secondary and tertiary interventions should be recognized as treatment or management, not prevention.
  • Revisiting the definition of mental health prevention is crucial for effective public health strategies.

Related Experiment Videos