title: Successes of prevention.
abstract: Despite the intuitive--and historically persistent--appeal of preventive medical measures, latter-day skeptics find less cause for continued optimism. The failure of expectations is only partly a confusion of definitions. An examination of what is prevented, and by whom, suggests new professional as well as political strategies, and anticipates new dilemmas.
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000191:economics; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D011640:Public Policy; D014481:United States