Final Reflections

Well in my previous post I said it may or may not be my last one, and the answer turns out to be may not. I'd like to take the opportunity to reflect on the most important thing I've learned in this course that I will be taking away from it: the applications of network science for public health.

As a pharmacy major, I was fascinated to learn how obesity and other health problems (like smoking) can spread through social networks. The Christakis and Fowler paper met a great deal of outcry in the health professions; they couldn't believe that social networks were an important factor in obesity, preferring to link it to simple poor health habits. As a future member of a health profession, I hope to change this mindset. Regardless of how obesity spreads through social networks, health initiatives absolutely have to begin taking network science into account. While network science plays a critical role in the study of epidemics, it still doesn't have the foothold it should in other parts of the health sciences.

Pharmacies, for example, should understand that the communities around them will probably encounter similar health issues at the same time even if those health issues are not necessarily communicable diseases. They should also be wary of prescribing drugs just because other pharmacies in the area have begun doing so because of the probability of informational cascades. This is especially true for hospital pharmacies that often attempt to use the most popular new drugs as long as cost is not a large issue. Network science also reinforces the values of preventative medicine (healthcare) over sick-care. One can spread positive benefits to other members in the network while the other leaves behind possible problems in the population.

And on that note, I finish my final post for the course. I had a fantastic time with it and the class was definitely the academic highlight of my year. Good luck in the future to everyone on this blog!