Genomics, Prevention and Control of Common Chronic Diseases is an article written by Khoury et al. This piece of writing places of interest is priorities that have emerged on issues of genomics and disease control. However, the article emphasizes on the use of family medical history in public health practice.
Family account is an important part of a patient’s medical record. Through the medical family account, physicians predict some medical complications (Haga, 2008). Family medical history is not disclosed by most patients due to lack of knowledge and bad mind-set towards the release of the information. People have been educated to promote healthy lifestyles by majoring in controlling body weight and periodic test. Patient’s medical history is always ignored and it’s important to be identified before treatment (Haga, 2008). Family medical history if fully utilized in public health, it will link the gap between personal approach to genetics and community approach to inheritance this will capture more information about a genetic disease. This should be done through observing disease prevalence in the community rather than an individual.
Through conducting population-based research, storage of information on genomics of a population and the health status will control the chronic disease burden. Once population based disease prevalence data is put in place, there will be a clear prediction for chances of another disease to occur in a certain population. Prevention measures will then be put in place. This will promote disease prevention resulting to a more healthy community (Haga, 2008). Once the public is assured of adequacy in health capacity as a result of genomics, the practice will be universally accepted and implemented. Although there is little application of genomics to control deadly diseases, more needs to be done in order to realize the full potential of research on family medical history. For application of genomics to succeed it requires input from both the public health sector and the public. Development of tools to enhance the viability of the process is also vital. The advance of health policies that encourage the use of genomic information in promoting a healthy community will make this a reality (Haga, 2008).
This article basically highlights the importance of genome to control persistent diseases. It also emphasizes on the importance of collecting data about the family medical history for the treatment several fatal diseases. The author argues that most chronic diseases have a history which helps to ascertain the prevalence of risk factors. Since the mid-20th century, personal medical history has been linked to the health of an individual. It is also known that the salience of a disease is increased through identifying an individual’s family history (Haga, 2008). Family medical history is a key factor to control chronic diseases. Measures have been put in place to make this procedure practically applicable. The author believes that implementation of a good medical history database in the place of genomics has created a well conducted research on chronic diseases. This has improved on the level of perception of these chronic diseases.
To a large extent the information in this article is feasible if fully implemented. The information in the article provides a limited source of information to ways of creating awareness about the importance of disclosing a full medical history. Therefore, when used in decision making some areas will have difficulties in implementation.
Reference
Haga, M. (2008). Genetics and genomics in practice: the continuum from genetic disease to genetic information in health and disease. New York: Harvard university press. 12 (3); 17-24.