Define upstream care.

• A. Addressing root causes (policy, environment)
• B. Treating disease after it occurs
• C. Providing acute care
• D. Individual risk factor modification only

Answer: (A)

Upstream care aims to prevent health problems by tackling the underlying determinants of health—the policies, environments, and social conditions that shape risk for entire communities. By addressing these root causes, fewer people develop disease in the first place. This is why addressing root causes (policy and environment) is the best fit. In contrast, treating disease after it occurs, providing acute care, or focusing only on individual risk-factor modification are reactive or narrower approaches that don’t address the broader factors that drive health outcomes.