Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

When You Need More Than Just An Apple A Day: A Review Of The Empirical Evidence Relating To Disparities In Access To Health Care And A Preliminary Perspective On The Effects Of The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act, Alexis Coulis

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The concept of medical care is twofold, made up of both prevention and treatment. Prevention itself consists of three distinct levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary prevention includes actions protecting healthy people from developing a disease in the first place. Secondary goes on to refer to management of a diagnosed condition that works to keep symptoms at a minimum. Finally, tertiary prevention encompasses measures taken in an attempt to control an existing disease. Three individual case studies – the influenza vaccine, asthma management, and control of congestive heart failure – exemplify these primary, secondary, and tertiary preventive measures. Together, they …