Norris Porth's Essentials of
Pathophysiology------- Chap. 1: Concepts
of Health and Disease
A client develops an infection with a resistant organism while hospitalized for surgery. After treatment,
there are no obvious signs of infection, but a culture shows that the organism is present. Which term
describes the client's status?
a) Preclinical stage
b) Carrier status
c) Chronic disease
d) Clinical disease - ✔✔ correct answer b) Carrier status
In carrier status, the client shows no symptoms, tests positive for the disease, and may still transmit the
disease but is not infected. Chronic disease is a long-term, continuous process. In the preclinical stage of
a disease, a client may show no symptoms but will progress to clinical disease. In clinical disease, the
condition is overtly present.
There are three fundamental types of prevention used in health care: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
Which statement accurately describes secondary prevention?
a) Secondary prevention is often accomplished outside the health care system at the community level.
b) Secondary prevention goes beyond treating the problem with which the person presents.
c) Secondary prevention takes place within health care systems and involves the services of a number of
different types of health care professionals.
d) Secondary prevention detects disease early, and most is done in clinical settings. - ✔✔ correct answer
d) Secondary prevention detects disease early, and most is done in clinical settings.
,Norris Porth's Essentials of
Pathophysiology------- Chap. 1: Concepts
of Health and Disease
Secondary prevention detects disease early in its course when it is still asymptomatic and treatment
measures can effect a cure or stop the disease from progressing. Most secondary prevention is
undertaken in clinical settings. Tertiary prevention goes beyond treating the presenting problem. Tertiary
prevention programs are located within health care systems and involve the services of a number of
different types of health care professionals. Primary prevention is often accomplished outside the health
care system at the community level.
Why are some diseases termed syndromes?
a) They have complications.
b) They leave sequelae (e.g., lesions) and residual effects.
c) They are a compilation of signs and symptoms characteristic of a specific disease state.
d) They are a group of disease states that has the same etiology. - ✔✔ correct answer c) They are a
compilation of signs and symptoms characteristic of a specific disease state.
A syndrome is a compilation of signs and symptoms (e.g., chronic fatigue syndrome) that are
characteristic of a specific disease state. Complications are possible adverse extensions of a disease or
outcomes from treatment. Sequelae are lesions or impairments that follow or are caused by a disease.
There is no name for a group of disease states that all have the same cause.
A multidisciplinary healthcare team operates a program aimed at the prevention, identification, and
treatment of diabetes on a large Indian reservation. Which aspect of the program would most likely be
classified as secondary prevention?
a) Administering oral antihyperglycemic medications to clients who have a diagnosis of diabetes.
b) Teaching school children how a nutritious, traditional diet can lessen their chances of developing
adult-onset diabetes.
, Norris Porth's Essentials of
Pathophysiology------- Chap. 1: Concepts
of Health and Disease
c) Staffing a booth where community residents who are attending a baseball tournament can have their
blood glucose levels checked.
d) Regularly scheduled wound dressing changes for clients who have foot ulcers secondary to peripheral
neuropathy and impaired wound healing. - ✔✔ correct answer c) Staffing a booth where community
residents who are attending a baseball tournament can have their blood glucose levels checked.
Secondary prevention focuses on screening and early disease identification, such as checking the blood
glucose levels of a large number of individuals to identify potential cases of diabetes. Wound treatment
and medication administration would be considered tertiary interventions, and education would be
considered primary prevention.
An occupational therapist conducts a group therapy program called MindWorks with older adults who
have diagnoses of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The goal of the group is to slow the cognitive
decline of clients by engaging them in regular, organized mental activity such as reading maps and
solving puzzles. How would the program most likely be characterized?
a) Prognosis enhancement
b) Tertiary prevention
c) Secondary prevention
d) Primary prevention - ✔✔ correct answer b) Tertiary prevention
Interventions aimed at slowing the course of an already-diagnosed disease characterize tertiary
prevention.
An epidemiologist is conducting a program of research aimed at identifying factors associated with
incidence and prevalence of congenital cardiac defects in infants. The researcher has recruited a large
number of mothers whose infants were born with cardiac defects as well as mothers whose infants were
Pathophysiology------- Chap. 1: Concepts
of Health and Disease
A client develops an infection with a resistant organism while hospitalized for surgery. After treatment,
there are no obvious signs of infection, but a culture shows that the organism is present. Which term
describes the client's status?
a) Preclinical stage
b) Carrier status
c) Chronic disease
d) Clinical disease - ✔✔ correct answer b) Carrier status
In carrier status, the client shows no symptoms, tests positive for the disease, and may still transmit the
disease but is not infected. Chronic disease is a long-term, continuous process. In the preclinical stage of
a disease, a client may show no symptoms but will progress to clinical disease. In clinical disease, the
condition is overtly present.
There are three fundamental types of prevention used in health care: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
Which statement accurately describes secondary prevention?
a) Secondary prevention is often accomplished outside the health care system at the community level.
b) Secondary prevention goes beyond treating the problem with which the person presents.
c) Secondary prevention takes place within health care systems and involves the services of a number of
different types of health care professionals.
d) Secondary prevention detects disease early, and most is done in clinical settings. - ✔✔ correct answer
d) Secondary prevention detects disease early, and most is done in clinical settings.
,Norris Porth's Essentials of
Pathophysiology------- Chap. 1: Concepts
of Health and Disease
Secondary prevention detects disease early in its course when it is still asymptomatic and treatment
measures can effect a cure or stop the disease from progressing. Most secondary prevention is
undertaken in clinical settings. Tertiary prevention goes beyond treating the presenting problem. Tertiary
prevention programs are located within health care systems and involve the services of a number of
different types of health care professionals. Primary prevention is often accomplished outside the health
care system at the community level.
Why are some diseases termed syndromes?
a) They have complications.
b) They leave sequelae (e.g., lesions) and residual effects.
c) They are a compilation of signs and symptoms characteristic of a specific disease state.
d) They are a group of disease states that has the same etiology. - ✔✔ correct answer c) They are a
compilation of signs and symptoms characteristic of a specific disease state.
A syndrome is a compilation of signs and symptoms (e.g., chronic fatigue syndrome) that are
characteristic of a specific disease state. Complications are possible adverse extensions of a disease or
outcomes from treatment. Sequelae are lesions or impairments that follow or are caused by a disease.
There is no name for a group of disease states that all have the same cause.
A multidisciplinary healthcare team operates a program aimed at the prevention, identification, and
treatment of diabetes on a large Indian reservation. Which aspect of the program would most likely be
classified as secondary prevention?
a) Administering oral antihyperglycemic medications to clients who have a diagnosis of diabetes.
b) Teaching school children how a nutritious, traditional diet can lessen their chances of developing
adult-onset diabetes.
, Norris Porth's Essentials of
Pathophysiology------- Chap. 1: Concepts
of Health and Disease
c) Staffing a booth where community residents who are attending a baseball tournament can have their
blood glucose levels checked.
d) Regularly scheduled wound dressing changes for clients who have foot ulcers secondary to peripheral
neuropathy and impaired wound healing. - ✔✔ correct answer c) Staffing a booth where community
residents who are attending a baseball tournament can have their blood glucose levels checked.
Secondary prevention focuses on screening and early disease identification, such as checking the blood
glucose levels of a large number of individuals to identify potential cases of diabetes. Wound treatment
and medication administration would be considered tertiary interventions, and education would be
considered primary prevention.
An occupational therapist conducts a group therapy program called MindWorks with older adults who
have diagnoses of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The goal of the group is to slow the cognitive
decline of clients by engaging them in regular, organized mental activity such as reading maps and
solving puzzles. How would the program most likely be characterized?
a) Prognosis enhancement
b) Tertiary prevention
c) Secondary prevention
d) Primary prevention - ✔✔ correct answer b) Tertiary prevention
Interventions aimed at slowing the course of an already-diagnosed disease characterize tertiary
prevention.
An epidemiologist is conducting a program of research aimed at identifying factors associated with
incidence and prevalence of congenital cardiac defects in infants. The researcher has recruited a large
number of mothers whose infants were born with cardiac defects as well as mothers whose infants were
