What do astronomy, Darwin, and population health have in common? More than you might think. In this episode, we unpack the false dichotomy of individual versus population health, tracing how it came to be and how they are actually inextricably linked. From the outdated "average man" concept inspired by astronomy to Darwin's revolutionary embrace of variation, we explore the dynamic nature of health outcomes to illustrate why traditional models fail to capture the complexity of populations, how "structured chance" drives health disparities, and how conceptualizing populations as "living organisms" could offer a transformative approach. Prepare to see health—and its interconnected systems—in a whole new light.

Sources:

Arah, O. A. (2009). On the relationship between individual and population health. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 12(3), 235–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-008-9173-8
Krieger, N. (2012). Who and What Is a “Population”? Historical Debates, Current Controversies, and Implications for Understanding “Population Health” and Rectifying Health Inequities. The Milbank Quarterly, 90(4), 634–681. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0009.2012.00678.x
Itchhaporia, D. (2021). Population Health. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 78(15), 1569–1572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.09.001

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The False Dichotomy of Individual vs. Population Health

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