Final answer:
Primary prevention aims to prevent the occurrence of conditions, secondary prevention focuses on early detection and treatment, and tertiary prevention manages and controls a condition after it has developed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The goals of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention in public health are to protect and improve the health of individuals and communities. Primary prevention aims to prevent the occurrence of a condition altogether through measures such as vaccination, healthy lifestyle promotion, and environmental modifications. Secondary prevention focuses on early detection and treatment of a condition in its early stages, often through health screenings and monitoring at-risk populations, to halt progression and provide early intervention. Lastly, tertiary prevention is deployed to manage and control a condition after it has developed, with strategies that reduce severity, aid in recovery, and minimize disability among patients. Understanding how diseases spread and their effect on populations is critical to developing effective public health strategies.