By Courtney Lyles, PhD and Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, MD, PhD
At the Precision
Public Health Summit held this week at UCSF (sponsored by the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation and the White House Office of Science, Technology, and
Policy: see), we were inspired by many great discussions and ideas. While the field is still figuring out how to
define and conceptualize the core elements of “precision public health,” a
broad interpretation that is relatively simple and straightforward includes: a discipline for using the best methodologies
and datasets to tailor interventions (from medical screenings and treatments,
to community wellness and prevention programs, to science-informed advocacy and
policy) that better meet the needs and priorities of local communities and
individuals.
