In public health practice, what is the goal of prevention?

• A. To reduce the incidence and progression of disease.
• B. To identify disease in asymptomatic individuals.
• C. To cure all chronic conditions.
• D. To measure program satisfaction.

Answer: (B)

Prevention in public health aims to reduce how often disease occurs and to lessen the impact if it does develop. This includes preventing disease from starting (primary prevention) and catching it early to stop its progression (secondary prevention), as well as reducing complications for those already affected (tertiary prevention). Describing disease identification in people without symptoms points to screening, a tool used within prevention, but it doesn’t define the overall goal itself. The other options describe goals that aren’t the central aim of prevention—trying to cure all chronic conditions is unrealistic, and measuring program satisfaction is about evaluation. So the best framing is to focus on reducing the incidence and progression of disease.