Prevention Methods in Community Psychology

The assignment content discusses primary and secondary prevention strategies in community psychology, focusing on enhancing quality of life through collaborative research and guidance. Primary prevention aims to prevent diseases or injuries from occurring by providing information to the public through social media and print media, while secondary prevention focuses on reducing the impact of existing illnesses or injuries. Both approaches have potential benefits and drawbacks, including increased awareness, stigma, and financial burdens.

Primary and Secondary Prevention
Offord, D. R. (2000). Selection of levels of prevention. Addictive Behaviors, 25(6), 833-842.
Community psychology focus and studies the relationship of individuals to community and
societies with the aim of enhancing the quality of life through collaborative research and
guidance. With the motive of implementing several prevention methodologies which are also
termed as ‘Interventions’ have been laid down. There are different types of prevention modules
viz. primary and secondary. Primary prevention aims at prevention of any disease/injury/ill effect
before its occurrence, and secondary prevention aims at reducing the impact and depth of the
disease/injury/ill effect after its occurrence to a minimum level. Primary prevention tends to
lower the risk of harmful effects by the disposal of information at a public level, to make them
aware through the use of social media, print media, etc. The strategies for primary prevention
may adapt ban on certain items and cite them as restricted/harmful/dangerous. It also can merge
the use of legislative measures to implement their control and abuse, and mandating several safe
and hygienic guidelines. Educating people regarding safe practices and making them aware to
undergo thorough medical checkups on scheduled basis. Although there are potential benefits of
making individuals/public aware regarding primary prevention yet they possess several
drawbacks as they can create unnecessary ruckus among individuals, public will become more
terrified regarding new diseases, and health hazards, mandating regular checkups will put
expense burden on them, the prevention measures may get associated with social stigma and can
ignite debates at political levels, it will be difficult to determine the overall effect. On the
contrary, secondary prevention aims to limit these effects after injury. This prevention
methodology increases the knowledge of individuals and raises their concern towards their health
and society. It incorporates the use of several tests and prevention techniques to limit the illness
at that particular stage and inhibit their reoccurrence and re-injury, to prevent long term sickness

Primary and Secondary Prevention
and maintain the quality of life and expectancy. By identifying problems at this level and
preventing them can relieve the individual from financial stress and liability and can help them to
continue with their daily lives. Secondary prevention also have several drawbacks associated as
they highlight the individual, put burden on families associated with the person, problems
associated with the screening process, less probability of predicting the reoccurrence despite
high-cost treatments, makes financial status unstable, exploitation by hospitals/organizations and
creating irrelevant notions among public to gain maximum benefits. Summing up, it is very
important for individuals to know and educate their surroundings regarding common problems so
as the risk associated with them can be removed or minimized as early as possible. It is always
advisable to follow a healthy lifestyle to eliminate all these problems, but due to degradation of
environment, these injuries cannot be prevented. The individuals should be vigilant enough to
consult properly before starting any treatment and must validate the sources using government
organizations and schemes. This will remove the malpractices and motivate a healthier
environment. The aim of addressing public regarding these prevention techniques is to make
them self-sufficient and develop sufficient knowledge.