Certified in Public Health (CPH) Practice Exam

In a Stock and Flow diagram, what is a likely unintended consequence of expanded intervention focused on tertiary prevention?

1. "Afflicted with Complications" will increase

2. Mortality will be delayed or reduced

3. "Safer Healthier People" will decrease

4. "Afflicted without Complications" will increase

The correct answer is: "Afflicted with Complications" will increase

In a Stock and Flow diagram, focusing on tertiary prevention typically involves interventions aimed at reducing the impact of an existing disease or managing complications once they have occurred. While effective tertiary prevention can lead to improvements in the quality of life and disability management for individuals with established conditions, it can also lead to unintended consequences. When interventions are aggressively expanded to manage existing health conditions, there is a possibility that the population classified as "Afflicted with Complications" will increase. This increase may occur because more individuals are surviving longer with their conditions due to improved care and management, leading to a rise in the number of patients dealing with complications associated with those diseases. Consequently, while improvements in tertiary prevention can enhance individual outcomes, they also highlight and potentially elevate the burden of complications in the population. This understanding links to the broader context of public health where effective management of existing health conditions may inadvertently focus resources and attention more on treating complications rather than on prevention and wellness, thus causing a notable rise in individuals suffering from complications.