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Prevention: a word whose time has come.

Eli M Bower1

  • 1University of California.

The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
|January 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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

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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.

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  • 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.