Ask HN: When will preventative healthcare become a reality? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: When will preventative healthcare become a reality?

6 pointshsikka6 comments

I'm speaking specifically about the US. I feel like there's been significant opportunity to build some sort of preventative, longitudinal system, especially if its packaged as some sort of mobile app or the like.

View on HN

You talk about a mobile app as if your solution is opt-in. I think of preventative medicine as what the single payer national healthcare service does. Putting politics aside, it's a matter of motivation and recognition of anti-delayed-cost (it's not delayed benefit, it's delayed you get to continue your life). Glossy things like the once a day apps I've seen won't cut it. It has to be basics like a leaflet that makes people want to make a new habit. A PDF for your preferred book reader?

The problem is not that there is no way. The problem is most people are lazy and don't care until they need to. For example, we all know that diet and exercise are the key to good physical health (at varying levels but diet/exercise are the constant almost every time). But we don't have enough motivation or the will to take care of our own body. Genetics does play a role but I still believe that good diet/exercise can solve most problems organically.

Quite a few people take pills for high blood pressure or high cholesterol or inhalers for asthma, etc.

Is that really preventative care though? Why would I take pills for high blood pressure, if I don't have high blood pressure already? I thought preventative care was care that is, well, in prevention of the problem. Ie, checkups and recipes to exercise more.. or eat less carbs, or do more cardio. or w/e.

I know nothing on the subject, so please take this as a question.

High blood pressure is not an immediate problem for the individual, but it can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney problems and more if it isn't treated. So that pill is preventative of bad outcomes.

If you are diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes you should be referred to a dietician, personal trainer, etc. to improve your lifestyle. This is preventative medicine against amputations and other complications.

Now the advice they give diabetics is the same advice everybody should get. Health promotion is pretty hard to do, however. In all it is a good thing but some people who do the right thing will fall victim anyway like running guru Jim Fixx, or Jerome Rodale who died on the Dick Cavett show in 1971.

Where? In the US? For what age range? Care to expand your question a bit more?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com