[Prevention in health care--opportunities and limitations].
Disease prevention and health promotion performed by the health care sector may in general be characterised as adhering to a high-risk strategy, in which individuals with an elevated risk of falling ill or dying are identified and encouraged to change their behaviour and sometimes take preventive drugs. The approach thus has great similarities and fits well with the other activities in health care. Prevention in the health care sector rarely prevents people from ending up in high risk groups. Interventions therefore become never-ending stories. Public health ethics may turn out as an important future research field.
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Institut for Folkesundhedsvidenskab, Afdeling for Sundhedstjenesteforskning, Københavns Universitet, Øster Farimagsgade 5, DK-1014 København, Denmark. s.vallgarda@pubhealth.ku.dk
D003718:Denmark; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors