Secondary prevention focuses on which group or situation?

• A. Healthy individuals
• B. Vaccination campaigns
• C. Terminal illness
• D. Individuals with health problems at risk for complications

Answer: (D)

Secondary prevention aims to detect and treat disease early in people who already have a health problem or are at risk for complications, with the goal of preventing progression and preventing or delaying complications. This includes screening and early interventions that identify a condition before noticeable symptoms or before serious harm occurs. Healthy individuals haven’t developed disease yet, so their care is primary prevention (for example, vaccines and health-promoting lifestyles). Vaccination campaigns prevent disease from occurring in the first place, not catching it early in those who are already healthy. Terminal illness represents managing advanced disease and reducing suffering, which aligns more with tertiary prevention. Therefore, the group described—people who have health problems and are at risk for complications—matches secondary prevention.