the case of cardio-vascular disease --- Sorry if I'm becoming too medical... Here in CH, I hardly don't see any cardiac decompensation any more. And if, they come from remote mountain villages (an example of persisting unequal geographical health care distribution...). This is due to the fact that people are well screened for risk factors, the most important being arterial hypertension. The therapeutical options are clear (loosing weight, physical activity, pharmaceutical intervention) and easy (taking a pill, the other ones are less attractive) and you can't feel, but can visualise the results: numbers going down, and a happy looking doctor. The problem with prevention is when it takes individual effort, is not immediately visible and is economically not directly interesting... In clear: when it needs a pill it's easy, but prevention before -and I think also about mental health, it stays unattractive for both the patient and provider side.

Source author: Katharina Beyer katharina.beyer@etu.unige.ch