Today is the World Epidemiology Day, I enjoyed a book entitled “The Strategy of Preventive Medicine”, a gift from a mentor who is always kind to me. This is the type of book I am always looking for: health-related classics, written in layman’s terms.
In this work, Professor Rose covered a few key themes. The first is that traditional medicine has always been focused on the “sick population” and has emphasized the importance of preventative medicine (he wrote this book in 1992; this concept must be viewed in context).
Second, he believes that one’s cognition is highly influenced by the socioeconomic situation to which they belong, and that understanding these elements is critical in developing answers.
Third, this is often known as Rose’s paradox: “A preventive measure that benefits the population provides little to each participating individual.” This discusses the history of public health, including immunization, the adoption of seat belts (or helmets where motorbikes are more commonly used), and the present efforts to improve a variety of lifestyle practices.
I was surprised to learn that what Professor Rose said over 30 years ago was so ahead of its time. He foresaw precisely what we are now focusing on in terms of preventative medicine, health determinants, lifestyle habits, and so on. I’ll surely read it again, at least a few times!
If you are interested, Bill Gates’ show “What’s Next” will be accessible on Netflix on September 18th, highlighting significant problems that we are currently facing and need solutions to (climate change, the usage of AI, data privacy, etc.). I’m a huge fan of this show, but I know I’m too little to discuss it.
PS: Following the typhoon last night, it appears that all of my friends and family in Vietnam are safe 
I feel like nature is changing so quickly that I can notice how different it is year after year.
Also, please leave me a few recommendations for similar books, if you have any!
