Primary Prevention

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Primary Prevention

Specific practices for the prevention of disease or mental disorders in susceptible individuals or populations. These include HEALTH PROMOTION, including mental health; protective procedures, such as COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL; and monitoring and regulation of ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS. Primary prevention is to be distinguished from secondary prevention, which is the prevention of complications or after-effects of a drug or surgical procedure, and tertiary prevention, the amelioration of the after-effects of a disease.