What is tertiary prevention focused on?

Tertiary prevention is primarily focused on the optimum treatment of identified diseases and conditions to reduce complications and improve the quality of life for individuals who are already affected. This stage of prevention comes into play after a disease has been diagnosed, with the goal of minimizing the impact of the disease, preventing further deterioration, and facilitating rehabilitation.

For instance, in the context of a chronic illness like diabetes, tertiary prevention would involve strategies such as managing the disease through medication, diet, and monitoring to prevent complications such as neuropathy or kidney failure. It emphasizes not just dealing with the disease itself but also enhancing the patient's functioning and overall well-being despite the presence of the illness.

The other options focus on different aspects of health care prevention. Eliminating risk factors pertains more to primary prevention, which aims to prevent diseases before they occur. Early detection and intervening relate to secondary prevention, which seeks to catch diseases early when they are more treatable. Education on healthful lifestyles again aligns more with primary prevention, as it encourages behaviors that help avoid the onset of diseases.