Jonathan Sternberg, Chief Strategy & Business Officer, Medix Global highlights the key benefits of personalised risk assessment in stroke prevention in India
Public health experts and advocates in India relate to stroke as its biggest source of disability and death. Global burden of diseases indicated that India had suffered more than half of global stroke cases i.e. about 68.6 per cent incidence, 70.9 per cent fatal stroke and as high as 77.7 per cent disability adjusted life years. Lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, and stress management play an important part in stroke prevention but integrating personalised healthcare and genetic risk assessments could change corporate wellness programs tailored according to each person’s genetic risk factor. In the Indian context, this system would lower health costs and achieve healthy, productive employees.
The burden of stroke in India
Blood clots or bursting veins are the most common cause of stroke. This can lead to immense physical and cognitive damage, rendering one incapable of undertaking simple activities that impact an individual’s quality of life and work performance. Direct medical costs, rehabilitation expenditures, and indirect costs due to absenteeism, loss of productivity, and the health system lead to the economic burden of a stroke in India. By 2050, brain stroke will have killed around 10 million people in low- and middle-income countries such as India, according to a Lancet medical journal in collaboration with ICMR. The report indicates that, in 2050, stroke-related deaths are expected to grow to about 9.7 million, up from about 6.6 million deaths in 2030. It further demonstrates that India has both the highest incidence and prevalence rates of stroke, with about 1.29 million new cases reported annually.
Personalised healthcare and genetic risk assessment
Recent breakthroughs in genetics research have found so many genetic variations associated with stroke. The analysis of an individual’s DNA helps in the identification of these genetic risk factors and facilitates the development of targeted interventions. Genetic data combined with other health information is used to derive specific recommendations for lifestyle modifications which offer personalised perspective to corporate wellness. A recent study conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in an Indian population to identify genetic variants linked to stroke. These included 4,088 subjects, among them 1,609 stroke cases associated with known risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The investigation focused on specific genetic loci related to various stroke types; it revealed three important genes. The study, therefore, verified a number of the supposed candidate genes that have been reported on the Indian population. Of note, the study focused on the influence of genetic variants in the Sumoylation process in stroke occurrence.
Key benefits of personalised risk assessment in stroke prevention in India
Targeted interventions: Personalised risk assessments empowers Indian organisations to identify employees at high risk. For example, individuals with a familial predisposition to conditions such as hypertension or employees with lifestyle or environmental factors can benefit from personalised interventions and monitoring to effectively manage their risk.
Enhanced engagement: Personalised healthcare is more likely to engage Indian employees as it addresses their unique genetic risk factors. This leads to increased participation in wellness programmes and better compliance with preventive measures.
Cost savings: By allocating resources to high-risk individuals, Indian corporations can optimise their wellness programme budgets, potentially reducing overall healthcare costs. Preventing strokes not only saves lives but also results in substantial financial savings.
Data-driven decision making: Corporates are able to aggregate personal risk data and identify trends, thus customising wellness programmes that will better serve their Indian employees. This data-driven approach can lead to more effective prevention strategies. Having said that, the use of this data needs to be anonymous and in full compliance with privacy laws.
In India, the integration of personalised healthcare and risk assessment into corporate wellness programmes represents an innovative approach to stroke prevention. At Medix, we are seeing more and more interest from corporates and are working with many organisations to tailor solutions for their employees. It is important to note that even without the incorporation of genetic profiling and using personalised health risk assessments that look at lifestyle, environmental causes, family and personal medical history, we can already create immense value and help people manage their health more effectively. Through customising interventions based on personal risk factors, organisations can create more effective wellness programmes that actually make a difference and also increase the participation rate. Today, people are demanding more from the healthcare eco-system and by personalising care and preventative programs, we build more trust and also can see the ROI.
References:
The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018
Association of SUMOylation Pathway Genes With Stroke in a Genome-Wide Association Study in India