Concept of health and disease: secondary prevention: practice question

A PSM question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

PSM · Concept of health and disease: secondary prevention

Sample item

A community programme screens asymptomatic adults above 30 years for hypertension with a blood pressure check. At which level of prevention does this activity fall?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Secondary prevention

Screening detects disease in the presymptomatic phase so that treatment can start early, which is secondary prevention. Primordial and primary prevention aim to prevent risk factors or the disease itself.

Option by option

  • A. Primary prevention

    Primary prevention would address risk factors such as salt intake before disease appears.

  • B. Primordial prevention

    Primordial prevention prevents the emergence of risk factors in the population.

  • C. Tertiary prevention

    Tertiary prevention applies to complications and disability after clinical disease.

  • D. Secondary prevention (correct)

    Correct. Detecting hypertension before symptoms and treating it early is secondary prevention.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More PSM questions

Questions about this PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is D, Secondary prevention. Screening detects disease in the presymptomatic phase so that treatment can start early, which is secondary prevention.

Why is "Primary prevention" not the answer?

Primary prevention would address risk factors such as salt intake before disease appears.

Why is "Primordial prevention" not the answer?

Primordial prevention prevents the emergence of risk factors in the population.

Why is "Tertiary prevention" not the answer?

Tertiary prevention applies to complications and disability after clinical disease.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Concept of health and disease: secondary prevention in PSM. Primordial and primary prevention aim to prevent risk factors or the disease itself.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Concept of health and disease: secondary prevention?

Practise biostatistics with small calculations until sensitivity, predictive values and risk measures are automatic. Then use the flashcards and the other PSM questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.