Preprint / Version 2

Prevention versus Risk Reduction or Mitigation

Why create unnecessary battles?

##article.authors##

  • Ian Shrier Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Institute, McGill University
  • Franco M. Impellizzeri University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Health, Sydney, NSW, 2007, AUS
  • Steven D. Stovitz University of Minnesota, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51224/SRXIV.240

Keywords:

prevention, risk reduction, risk factor, methods

Abstract

Recently, some in the sports medicine community have argued that injury "prevention" is an inappropriate term when efforts fall short and not all injuries are prevented. Some reviewers are now insisting authors replace the term prevention with risk reduction or risk mitigation. We illustrate that because prevention is a causal concept, banning its use would also require banning the word "cause". Using definitions that are consistent with the broader medical community is necessary for communicating scientific information.

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References

Hewett1Tim. Risk Reduction is what is measured and is PRECISE terminology ... “Prevention” is NOT measured & is obtuse fuzzy terminology. Risk Reduction is what is measured and is PRECISE terminology “Prevention” is NOT measured & is obtuse fuzzy terminology IF u tell a parent that you’re protocol is going to “Prevent” their child from an injury and THEN they have an injury you have ☝️Risk of legal liability!: Twitter, 2022.

lahti_johan. Reviewer wants me to stop using the term "injury prevention", and switch to injury management (maybe more rehab+prevention) or mitigation/reduction. Reviewer wants me to stop using the term "injury prevention", and switch to injury management (maybe more rehab+prevention) or mitigation/reduction My bias is that reduction means "hinder", not reduce to 0, but then again, I'm not a native speaker! :) So, please help by voting:: Twitter, 2020.

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Posted

2023-01-12 — Updated on 2023-01-28

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