Disability prevention relates to all preventive measures aimed at reducing the occurrence of impairments (first-level prevention); limiting or reversing disability caused by impairment (second-level prevention); or preventing the transition of disability into handicap (third-level prevention). Much disability could be prevented through measures taken against malnutrition, environmental pollution, poor hygiene, inadequate pre-natal and post-natal care, water-borne diseases and accidents of all types.
There is a steady growth of activities to prevent impairment, such as: the improvement of hygiene, education, and nutrition; better access to food and health care through primary health care approaches, with special attention to mother and child care; counselling for parents on genetic and pre-natal care factors; immunization and control of diseases and infections; accident prevention; and improvement of the quality of the environment. In some parts of the world, such measures have a significant impact on the incidence of physical and mental impairment; but for a majority of the world's population, especially those living in countries in the early stages of economic development, these preventive measures effectively reach only a small proportion of the people in need. Most developing countries have yet to establish a system for the early detection and prevention of impairment through periodic health examinations, particularly for pregnant women, infants and young children.
The more global measures for prevention of impairment are: avoidance of war; improvement of the educational, economic and social status of the least privileged groups; identification of types of impairment and their causes within defined geographical areas; introduction of specific intervention measures through better nutritional practices; improvement of health services, early detection and diagnosis; pre-natal and post-natal care; proper health care instruction, including patient and physician education; family planning; legislation and regulations; modification of life-styles; selective placement services; education regarding environmental hazards; the fostering of better informed and strengthened families and communities.