ATI Health Promotion Wellness and Disease
Prevention Comprehensive Nursing Study Guide
2026/2027 ATI Exam Prep, Practice Questions,
Answers, Rationales and NCLEX Review
Section 1: Concepts of Health, Wellness, and Disease Prevention
1. A public health nurse is planning a community health fair. Which of the
following activities is the best example of primary prevention?
A. Providing free blood pressure screenings.
B. Organizing a support group for individuals with diabetes.
C. Administering the influenza vaccine to older adults.
D. Teaching a cardiac rehabilitation class for clients who have had a myocardial
infarction.
Correct Answer: C. Administering the influenza vaccine to older adults.
Rationale: Primary prevention aims to prevent a disease or injury before it
ever occurs. Immunizations are a classic example of primary prevention. Blood
pressure screenings (A) are secondary prevention (early detection). Support groups
for chronic conditions (B) and cardiac rehab (D) are tertiary prevention, aimed at
managing an existing disease to prevent complications and improve quality of life.
2. A nurse is discussing the concept of health with a client. Which of the
following statements best reflects the World Health Organization's (WHO)
definition of health?
A. "Health is simply the absence of any disease or infirmity."
B. "Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being."
C. "Health is the ability to perform one's daily activities without pain."
D. "Health is determined primarily by genetic factors and access to medical care."
Correct Answer: B. "Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and
social well-being."
, Rationale: The WHO defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental,
and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Option A
is an incomplete definition. Option C is a functional definition but not the holistic
WHO definition. Option D is incorrect as health is determined by a multitude of
factors, not just genetics and medical care.
3. Which of the following are considered social determinants of health
(SDOH)? (Select All That Apply)
A. Access to nutritious foods
B. Genetic predisposition to heart disease
C. Educational level
D. Neighborhood safety
E. Availability of healthcare services
Correct Answers: A, C, D, E
Rationale: Social determinants of health are the conditions in the
environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that
affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
This includes access to food (A), education (C), safe housing and neighborhoods
(D), and healthcare (E). Genetic predisposition (B) is a biological factor, not a
social determinant.
4. A nurse is caring for a client who has been newly diagnosed with
hypertension. The nurse teaches the client about lifestyle modifications. This is
an example of which level of prevention?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Primordial prevention
Correct Answer: C. Tertiary prevention
Rationale: Tertiary prevention focuses on managing a confirmed disease to
prevent further complications, disability, or death. Teaching a client with diagnosed
hypertension about lifestyle changes to manage their condition is a tertiary
,prevention strategy. Secondary prevention (B) would be the screening that led to
the diagnosis. Primary prevention (A) would be preventing hypertension from
developing in the first place.
5. A community health nurse is assessing a community's health status. Which
of the following data points is an example of a health indicator?
A. The number of parks in the community.
B. The infant mortality rate.
C. The average commute time to work.
D. The percentage of residents who own their homes.
Correct Answer: B. The infant mortality rate.
Rationale: Health indicators are specific, measurable data points that reflect
the health of a population. Infant mortality rate is a key health indicator. The
number of parks (A), commute time (C), and homeownership (D) are social
determinants of health that can influence health outcomes, but they are not direct
health indicators themselves.
6. A nurse is explaining the difference between health promotion and disease
prevention to a student. Which of the following activities is the best example of
health promotion?
A. Administering a tetanus booster shot.
B. Providing a smoking cessation program.
C. Teaching a class on the benefits of a balanced diet.
D. Performing a skin cancer screening.
Correct Answer: C. Teaching a class on the benefits of a balanced diet.
Rationale: Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase
control over, and to improve, their health. It focuses on positive, empowering
actions. Teaching about a balanced diet is a health promotion activity.
Administering a tetanus shot (A), providing a smoking cessation program (B), and
performing a skin cancer screening (D) are all examples of disease prevention,
which are more specific and targeted at preventing a particular disease or injury.
, 7. A client tells the nurse, "I know I should exercise, but I just don't have the
time." This statement reflects which component of the Health Belief Model?
A. Perceived susceptibility
B. Perceived severity
C. Perceived barriers
D. Perceived benefits
Correct Answer: C. Perceived barriers
Rationale: The Health Belief Model is used to understand health behaviors.
The client acknowledges the action (exercise) but identifies an obstacle ("don't
have the time"). This is a perceived barrier. Perceived susceptibility (A) is about
the risk of getting a condition. Perceived severity (B) is about how serious the
consequences are. Perceived benefits (D) are the positive outcomes of taking
action.
8. Which of the following are key components of the Transtheoretical Model of
Change? (Select All That Apply)
A. Precontemplation
B. Preparation
C. Action
D. Relapse
E. Compliance
Correct Answers: A, B, C, D
Rationale: The Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change) includes the
following stages: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action,
Maintenance, and Termination. Relapse is often considered a part of the model,
where an individual reverts to an earlier stage. "Compliance" (E) is not a stage in
this model.
9. A nurse is working with a client who is in the "contemplation" stage of
change for smoking cessation. Which of the following interventions is most
appropriate for the nurse to implement?
Prevention Comprehensive Nursing Study Guide
2026/2027 ATI Exam Prep, Practice Questions,
Answers, Rationales and NCLEX Review
Section 1: Concepts of Health, Wellness, and Disease Prevention
1. A public health nurse is planning a community health fair. Which of the
following activities is the best example of primary prevention?
A. Providing free blood pressure screenings.
B. Organizing a support group for individuals with diabetes.
C. Administering the influenza vaccine to older adults.
D. Teaching a cardiac rehabilitation class for clients who have had a myocardial
infarction.
Correct Answer: C. Administering the influenza vaccine to older adults.
Rationale: Primary prevention aims to prevent a disease or injury before it
ever occurs. Immunizations are a classic example of primary prevention. Blood
pressure screenings (A) are secondary prevention (early detection). Support groups
for chronic conditions (B) and cardiac rehab (D) are tertiary prevention, aimed at
managing an existing disease to prevent complications and improve quality of life.
2. A nurse is discussing the concept of health with a client. Which of the
following statements best reflects the World Health Organization's (WHO)
definition of health?
A. "Health is simply the absence of any disease or infirmity."
B. "Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being."
C. "Health is the ability to perform one's daily activities without pain."
D. "Health is determined primarily by genetic factors and access to medical care."
Correct Answer: B. "Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and
social well-being."
, Rationale: The WHO defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental,
and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Option A
is an incomplete definition. Option C is a functional definition but not the holistic
WHO definition. Option D is incorrect as health is determined by a multitude of
factors, not just genetics and medical care.
3. Which of the following are considered social determinants of health
(SDOH)? (Select All That Apply)
A. Access to nutritious foods
B. Genetic predisposition to heart disease
C. Educational level
D. Neighborhood safety
E. Availability of healthcare services
Correct Answers: A, C, D, E
Rationale: Social determinants of health are the conditions in the
environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that
affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
This includes access to food (A), education (C), safe housing and neighborhoods
(D), and healthcare (E). Genetic predisposition (B) is a biological factor, not a
social determinant.
4. A nurse is caring for a client who has been newly diagnosed with
hypertension. The nurse teaches the client about lifestyle modifications. This is
an example of which level of prevention?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Primordial prevention
Correct Answer: C. Tertiary prevention
Rationale: Tertiary prevention focuses on managing a confirmed disease to
prevent further complications, disability, or death. Teaching a client with diagnosed
hypertension about lifestyle changes to manage their condition is a tertiary
,prevention strategy. Secondary prevention (B) would be the screening that led to
the diagnosis. Primary prevention (A) would be preventing hypertension from
developing in the first place.
5. A community health nurse is assessing a community's health status. Which
of the following data points is an example of a health indicator?
A. The number of parks in the community.
B. The infant mortality rate.
C. The average commute time to work.
D. The percentage of residents who own their homes.
Correct Answer: B. The infant mortality rate.
Rationale: Health indicators are specific, measurable data points that reflect
the health of a population. Infant mortality rate is a key health indicator. The
number of parks (A), commute time (C), and homeownership (D) are social
determinants of health that can influence health outcomes, but they are not direct
health indicators themselves.
6. A nurse is explaining the difference between health promotion and disease
prevention to a student. Which of the following activities is the best example of
health promotion?
A. Administering a tetanus booster shot.
B. Providing a smoking cessation program.
C. Teaching a class on the benefits of a balanced diet.
D. Performing a skin cancer screening.
Correct Answer: C. Teaching a class on the benefits of a balanced diet.
Rationale: Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase
control over, and to improve, their health. It focuses on positive, empowering
actions. Teaching about a balanced diet is a health promotion activity.
Administering a tetanus shot (A), providing a smoking cessation program (B), and
performing a skin cancer screening (D) are all examples of disease prevention,
which are more specific and targeted at preventing a particular disease or injury.
, 7. A client tells the nurse, "I know I should exercise, but I just don't have the
time." This statement reflects which component of the Health Belief Model?
A. Perceived susceptibility
B. Perceived severity
C. Perceived barriers
D. Perceived benefits
Correct Answer: C. Perceived barriers
Rationale: The Health Belief Model is used to understand health behaviors.
The client acknowledges the action (exercise) but identifies an obstacle ("don't
have the time"). This is a perceived barrier. Perceived susceptibility (A) is about
the risk of getting a condition. Perceived severity (B) is about how serious the
consequences are. Perceived benefits (D) are the positive outcomes of taking
action.
8. Which of the following are key components of the Transtheoretical Model of
Change? (Select All That Apply)
A. Precontemplation
B. Preparation
C. Action
D. Relapse
E. Compliance
Correct Answers: A, B, C, D
Rationale: The Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change) includes the
following stages: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action,
Maintenance, and Termination. Relapse is often considered a part of the model,
where an individual reverts to an earlier stage. "Compliance" (E) is not a stage in
this model.
9. A nurse is working with a client who is in the "contemplation" stage of
change for smoking cessation. Which of the following interventions is most
appropriate for the nurse to implement?
