Introducing “Precision Health Promotion”: The Convergence of Genomics,Health Education,and Lived Experience

Abstract

The prospect that modifying just one mutated letter in a genomic sequence could save millions of lives has spawned a growing discipline called personalized medicine (PM). Where PM focuses on bringing greater precision to individual treatments, the genetics revolution also invites questions about how genetics testing and genetics reference panels can be applied in a public health context. Some voice concerns that the growth of PM will shift us back to an emphasis on the medical model for health advancement with undue focus and investment on individual rather than societal solutions. This editorial introduces precision health promotion and defines it as “the personalized design of lived experiences that foster improved health and well-being for individuals within the context of their families, organizations and communities.”