Public Health Nursing Module 1 - Detailed Study Deck & Practice Questions
Public health The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health
through organized community effort.
Winslow definition of public health Emphasizes sanitation, communicable-disease control, hygiene education,
organization of preventive medical and nursing services, and social conditions
adequate to maintain health.
Primary orientation of public health Population-focused prevention, health promotion, and creation of conditions in
which people can be healthy.
Individual acute-care orientation Focuses primarily on diagnosis and treatment of illness in an individual patient,
often in a healthcare facility.
Population-health orientation Focuses on health outcomes, determinants, risks, prevention, and interventions
affecting groups, aggregates, communities, and populations.
Health promotion Enhancement directed at improving well-being.
Disease prevention Activities designed to protect people from disease.
Health promotion vs disease prevention Health promotion broadly improves well-being, whereas disease prevention protects
against specific disease or reduces its consequences.
WHO concept of health A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.
Medical-model emphasis Curing or treating disease after it occurs.
Public-health emphasis Promoting health, preventing disease, addressing determinants, and improving
population outcomes.
Leavell and Clark Identified the commonly used primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of prevention.
Primary prevention Intervention before a disease or problem occurs to prevent its development.
Goal of primary prevention Prevent the initial occurrence of disease or injury.
Primary prevention exam cue Prevent, immunize, protect, educate before disease occurs.
Stuvia 2026-2027
, Public Health Nursing Module 1 - Detailed Study Deck & Practice Questions
Classic primary prevention example Immunization.
Secondary prevention Early detection and early intervention for disease or problems that may already be
present.
Goal of secondary prevention Identify disease early so intervention can begin promptly.
Secondary prevention exam cue Screen, test, detect, identify early.
Classic secondary prevention example Screening for sexually transmitted disease.
Tertiary prevention Intervention after disease is established to prevent deterioration, disability,
complications, or further loss of function.
Goal of tertiary prevention Limit consequences of an established disease or condition.
Tertiary prevention exam cue Rehabilitate, manage, restore, prevent complications.
Classic tertiary prevention example Teaching insulin administration in the home to a person with diabetes.
Immunization level of prevention Primary prevention.
STI screening level of prevention Secondary prevention.
Teaching insulin administration level of prevention Tertiary prevention.
Rehabilitation after stroke level of prevention Tertiary prevention.
Cervical cancer screening level of prevention Secondary prevention.
Pregnancy dietary teaching level of prevention Primary prevention when used to prevent problems before they occur.
Stuvia 2026-2027
, Public Health Nursing Module 1 - Detailed Study Deck & Practice Questions
HIV testing level of prevention Secondary prevention.
Exercise therapy after stroke level of prevention Tertiary prevention.
Environmental sanitation level of prevention Primary prevention.
Organized community screening level of prevention Secondary prevention.
Home-care services for chronically ill people level of Tertiary prevention.
prevention
Why education is not automatically primary prevention The level depends on timing and purpose; teaching a healthy person prevention
may be primary, while teaching disease management after diagnosis is tertiary.
Best question for determining prevention level At what point in the disease or problem trajectory does the intervention occur?
Problem has not occurred Primary prevention.
Early disease detection Secondary prevention.
Established disease with focus on complication reduction Tertiary prevention.
Primary prevention at the individual level Examples include immunization and dietary teaching before disease occurs.
Secondary prevention at the individual level Examples include HIV testing and cancer screening.
Tertiary prevention at the individual level Examples include insulin teaching and rehabilitation.
Primary prevention at the family level Examples include education regarding smoking, dental care, nutrition, and
adequate housing.
Secondary prevention at the family level Examples include dental examinations or testing after possible exposure.
Stuvia 2026-2027
, Public Health Nursing Module 1 - Detailed Study Deck & Practice Questions
Tertiary prevention at the family level Examples include counseling, dietary intervention, or management of existing
illness.
Primary prevention at the group level Examples include childbirth classes or STI education.
Secondary prevention at the group level Examples include vision, mammography, or hearing screening.
Tertiary prevention at the group level Examples include support groups, counseling, rehabilitation, or chronic-disease
services.
Primary prevention at the community level Examples include fluoride supplementation, environmental sanitation, and removal
of environmental hazards.
Secondary prevention at the community level Examples include organized population screening programs.
Tertiary prevention at the community level Examples include community services for chronically ill populations.
Core functions of public health Assessment, Policy Development, and Assurance.
Origin of the three core public-health functions The Institute of Medicine's 1988 report The Future of Public Health.
Assessment Monitoring and analyzing population health status, risks, resources, barriers, and
environmental conditions.
Main question answered by Assessment What is happening?
Assessment activities Collect data, monitor morbidity and mortality, identify risks, investigate problems,
assess resources, identify service gaps, prioritize needs.
Assessment exam verbs Assess, monitor, investigate, identify, diagnose, analyze.
Population status in Assessment Includes demographics and frequent causes of morbidity and mortality.
Population structure in Assessment Includes institutional and programmatic resources plus cultural, social, natural, and
built environments.
Stuvia 2026-2027
Public health The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health
through organized community effort.
Winslow definition of public health Emphasizes sanitation, communicable-disease control, hygiene education,
organization of preventive medical and nursing services, and social conditions
adequate to maintain health.
Primary orientation of public health Population-focused prevention, health promotion, and creation of conditions in
which people can be healthy.
Individual acute-care orientation Focuses primarily on diagnosis and treatment of illness in an individual patient,
often in a healthcare facility.
Population-health orientation Focuses on health outcomes, determinants, risks, prevention, and interventions
affecting groups, aggregates, communities, and populations.
Health promotion Enhancement directed at improving well-being.
Disease prevention Activities designed to protect people from disease.
Health promotion vs disease prevention Health promotion broadly improves well-being, whereas disease prevention protects
against specific disease or reduces its consequences.
WHO concept of health A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.
Medical-model emphasis Curing or treating disease after it occurs.
Public-health emphasis Promoting health, preventing disease, addressing determinants, and improving
population outcomes.
Leavell and Clark Identified the commonly used primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of prevention.
Primary prevention Intervention before a disease or problem occurs to prevent its development.
Goal of primary prevention Prevent the initial occurrence of disease or injury.
Primary prevention exam cue Prevent, immunize, protect, educate before disease occurs.
Stuvia 2026-2027
, Public Health Nursing Module 1 - Detailed Study Deck & Practice Questions
Classic primary prevention example Immunization.
Secondary prevention Early detection and early intervention for disease or problems that may already be
present.
Goal of secondary prevention Identify disease early so intervention can begin promptly.
Secondary prevention exam cue Screen, test, detect, identify early.
Classic secondary prevention example Screening for sexually transmitted disease.
Tertiary prevention Intervention after disease is established to prevent deterioration, disability,
complications, or further loss of function.
Goal of tertiary prevention Limit consequences of an established disease or condition.
Tertiary prevention exam cue Rehabilitate, manage, restore, prevent complications.
Classic tertiary prevention example Teaching insulin administration in the home to a person with diabetes.
Immunization level of prevention Primary prevention.
STI screening level of prevention Secondary prevention.
Teaching insulin administration level of prevention Tertiary prevention.
Rehabilitation after stroke level of prevention Tertiary prevention.
Cervical cancer screening level of prevention Secondary prevention.
Pregnancy dietary teaching level of prevention Primary prevention when used to prevent problems before they occur.
Stuvia 2026-2027
, Public Health Nursing Module 1 - Detailed Study Deck & Practice Questions
HIV testing level of prevention Secondary prevention.
Exercise therapy after stroke level of prevention Tertiary prevention.
Environmental sanitation level of prevention Primary prevention.
Organized community screening level of prevention Secondary prevention.
Home-care services for chronically ill people level of Tertiary prevention.
prevention
Why education is not automatically primary prevention The level depends on timing and purpose; teaching a healthy person prevention
may be primary, while teaching disease management after diagnosis is tertiary.
Best question for determining prevention level At what point in the disease or problem trajectory does the intervention occur?
Problem has not occurred Primary prevention.
Early disease detection Secondary prevention.
Established disease with focus on complication reduction Tertiary prevention.
Primary prevention at the individual level Examples include immunization and dietary teaching before disease occurs.
Secondary prevention at the individual level Examples include HIV testing and cancer screening.
Tertiary prevention at the individual level Examples include insulin teaching and rehabilitation.
Primary prevention at the family level Examples include education regarding smoking, dental care, nutrition, and
adequate housing.
Secondary prevention at the family level Examples include dental examinations or testing after possible exposure.
Stuvia 2026-2027
, Public Health Nursing Module 1 - Detailed Study Deck & Practice Questions
Tertiary prevention at the family level Examples include counseling, dietary intervention, or management of existing
illness.
Primary prevention at the group level Examples include childbirth classes or STI education.
Secondary prevention at the group level Examples include vision, mammography, or hearing screening.
Tertiary prevention at the group level Examples include support groups, counseling, rehabilitation, or chronic-disease
services.
Primary prevention at the community level Examples include fluoride supplementation, environmental sanitation, and removal
of environmental hazards.
Secondary prevention at the community level Examples include organized population screening programs.
Tertiary prevention at the community level Examples include community services for chronically ill populations.
Core functions of public health Assessment, Policy Development, and Assurance.
Origin of the three core public-health functions The Institute of Medicine's 1988 report The Future of Public Health.
Assessment Monitoring and analyzing population health status, risks, resources, barriers, and
environmental conditions.
Main question answered by Assessment What is happening?
Assessment activities Collect data, monitor morbidity and mortality, identify risks, investigate problems,
assess resources, identify service gaps, prioritize needs.
Assessment exam verbs Assess, monitor, investigate, identify, diagnose, analyze.
Population status in Assessment Includes demographics and frequent causes of morbidity and mortality.
Population structure in Assessment Includes institutional and programmatic resources plus cultural, social, natural, and
built environments.
Stuvia 2026-2027
