During a recent presentation to a group of colleagues in the public health field, I used the term "secondary conditions" to report on results from a set of focus groups of older adults, ages 65-90 yrs, who were discussing health problems they have encountered as a result of the aging process. There were a few puzzling looks in the audience until the question was asked: "If you are saying that these older adults are reporting secondary conditions, what is their primary condition?" This is a fundamental question to filtering out what are natural or typical conditions (www.dictionary.com defines condition as a particular mode of being of a person or thing; existing state; situation with respect to circumstances) of aging versus what are conditions that can be 'prevented' or 'mitigated' through health promotion efforts. It also raises an important question in the debate concerning the definition of secondary conditions.

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