A nurse is presenting information about the prevention of sexually transmitted infections to a group of high school students. The nurse should identify that this is an example of which of the following types of prevention?

Rationale: A. Primary prevention focuses on preventing disease or injury before it occurs by reducing risk factors or promoting healthy behaviors. Educating high school students about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and safe sexual practices aims to prevent infection before any exposure or disease has occurred, which is the hallmark of primary prevention. B. Secondary prevention involves early detection and screening to identify disease in its initial stages, such as STI testing for sexually active individuals to detect infection early. It does not include education aimed at preventing the initial occurrence. C. Quaternary prevention focuses on preventing overmedicalization or unnecessary interventions in clients who are healthy or already undergoing care. This scenario does not involve over-treatment. D. Tertiary prevention occurs after a disease or injury has been diagnosed, aiming to reduce complications, manage chronic conditions, and improve quality of life. Educating students who have not yet contracted STIs is not tertiary prevention.