Preventive Care

The general definition of preventive care is ­provided by the American Board of Preventive Medicine: Preventive care does not aim to cure, treat, or diagnose a disease, but to protect, promote, and maintain health and well-being and prevent disease, disability, and premature death. This definition implies a blurred separation of preventive care from public health, which aims at promoting health in people through an organized system of efforts and services. As in any health market, there is demand and supply of preventive health care. The increasing importance of preventive care owes much to the increasing incidence of chronic diseases and the increasing rate of mortality accountable to these diseases. This relevance of preventive care raises questions regarding its cost savings and cost-effectiveness.

There are three different ...