A parable used in public health goes, if there is a group of people who’ve fallen into a river that need saving, the traditional treatment method would be to rescue them from drowning downstream. However, going upstream to find the cause of why these people were falling into the river in the first place would follow the preventative method. The story is used to illustrate how addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) and preventing people from getting sick can be a more effective strategy than simply treating them afterward.

Source: www.mobihealthnews.com