Importance of fourth-level prevention strategy and theoretical framework construction for five-level prevention: a brief discussion

The four-level prevention strategy (including the zero level prevention, primary prevention, secondary prevention, and tertiary prevention) corresponding to different stages of a disease has played a huge role in the practice of disease prevention and control in China. Quaternary prevention aims to identify individuals (groups) at the risk of over-medication or iatrogenic diseases and decrease or avoid excessive medication and sanitary intervention through intervention. By grading prevention strategies at different stages of a disease development or medical intervention and constructing a five-level prevention theoretical framework, public health practices and medical services in China could be under more accurate guidance. The study briefly reviewed the development of prevention strategies in China, systematically explained the concept and connotation of fourth-level prevention and summarized the theoretical framework of five-level prevention for providing a theoretical basis to disease prevention and control practice in China.