Overview
Health and happiness are inextricably linked and that was evidenced more acutely by the COVID-19 pandemic than at any other time in our collective memory. The pandemic has left a significant imprint on the health and wellness landscape, from the way individuals feel about and approach their own health, to the recognition of governments that preparedness and efficiency must form the foundation of healthcare systems.
The quest for a ‘formula’ for happiness has been somewhat of a special mission for academics, governments, the WHO and the UN alike as humanity attempts to define exactly what it is that makes people happy. One common consensus is that happiness should no longer be viewed through a lens of individualism; fostering improved health and happiness at a community level has now become a key priority for lawmakers.
Powerful actions need to be taken to enhance communities’ health and happiness, particularly as the World Bank estimates that more than half a billion people were pushed into extreme poverty by the cost of their healthcare needs during the pandemic.
The World Bank’s response has been to urge governments to strengthen the capacities of their national health systems in a bid to strive towards one of the organisation’s loftiest goals: Universal Health Coverage. Tapping into technology and utilising data are fundamental to achieving this objective.
Mental Health is also at the heart of global discussions, and we are witnessing a paradigm shift away from paltry investment – an average of 2% of state health budgets are currently channelled into mental health – towards decisive interventions.
The systemic underfunding and deprioritisation of mental health is undergoing a dramatic overhaul as better structures are put in place by businesses and governments to provide access to support.
KEY THEMES
GENOMICS
Humans have become victims of our own success to a degree. The knock-on effects of a rapidly expanding global middle class include an increase in lifestyle diseases such as obesity, as well as ageing populations and that demographic’s associated health risks.
But innovations in the field of genomics – the study of genes – can provide significant solutions. Genomics allows us to understand that although people are exposed to the same risk factors, not everyone develops the same disease.
What started with the Human Genome Project and the first ever genetic sequencing of a person has evolved into the new frontier of medicine.
Personalisation is such a prominent part of many aspects of life, yet in medicine a generalised approach is still the status quo. But a revolution is coming, driven by a global thirst for data which extends to an individual’s complete genetic make-up.
Every medical stakeholder, from hospitals to pharmaceutical companies, is looking to leverage such data in the most effective way, which will ultimately lead to the development of more personalised drugs, treatments and analytics-enabled continuous care.
MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS
THE PROVISION OF APP-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT BY COMPANIES TO EMPLOYEES IS FAST BECOMING A MINIMUM.
There has been an explosion in the popularity of mental health apps in recent years as people increasingly seek out digital assistance for managing symptoms of depression and anxiety. The provision of app-based mental health support by companies to employees is fast becoming a minimum requirement and it has led to an already crowded marketplace as businesses look to become net mental health positive across people, products and philanthropy.
This proliferation of new apps – Deloitte estimates as many as 20,000 could exist – can be expected to plateau as a more rigorous examination of each offering’s efficacy is required.
Apps focusing on profits over psychological evidence will be increasingly rooted out, with those developed in conjunction with mental health clinicians ultimately preferred by the public.
The regulation of this space urgently needs addressing, though it is encouraging that the economic and human benefits of mental health investment are finally being widely recognised; people, communities and culture are positively impacted when mental health is prioritised.
PROJECTS TO INSPIRE
NASA GENE LAB, USA
An ambitious long-term project to create an open-source database of all space-based research, the NASA Gene Lab collects data that explores molecular responses of terrestrial biology to the space environment. But this is not simply about the health of astronauts and how to best equip them for space travel; biomanufacturing in space – i.e. the production of commercially relevant biomaterials including stem cells – is expected to facilitate advances in regenerative medicine that could benefit all humans.
STARTWELL, UK
It is almost two decades since Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) was launched in Australia as a preventative, proactive approach to workplace well-being. It is now a global training provider utilised by companies to destigmatise mental health. In the UK, MHFA has now also stepped into the diagnostic space.
Its new consultancy arm Startwell develops sector-specific mental health programmes across hospitality, retail, healthcare and tech that are grounded in research and clinical expertise. The result is the creation of organisation-specific Mental Health Playbooks – an actionable guide that is subsequently assessed against proposed milestones.
NEOM FOOD, SAUDI ARABIA
The Kingdom’s most progressive region aspires to be a global leader across multiple sectors and that includes an innovative approach to food production that is designed to encourage citizens to eat in a healthier, more sustainable way.
From genomically-tailored personal nutrition plans to next-generation aquaculture and the nurturing of novel foods and plant-based alternatives, NEOM is, according to Head of Food Dr Carlos Motamayor, aiming to “reshape the way we feed the world while having a positive impact on the environment”.