Practice and public policy in the era of gene-environment interactions. 2008

Kenneth A Dodge
Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0545, USA.

This chapter argues that implications of the gene-environment interaction revolution for public policy and practice are contingent on how the findings get framed in public discourse. Frame analysis is used to identify the implications of the ways in which findings are cast. The frame of 'defective group' perpetuates racial and class stereotypes and limits policy efforts to redress health disparities. Furthermore, empirical evidence finds it inaccurate. The frame of'defective gene' precludes the adaptive genetic significance of genes. The frame of 'individual genetic profile' offers individualized health care but risks misapplication in policies that place responsibility for disease prevention on the individual to the policy relief of industry and toxic environments. Framing the interaction in terms of 'defective environments' promotes the identification of harmful environments that can be regulated through policy. The 'therapeutic environment' frame offers hope of discovering interventions that have greater precision and effectiveness but risks dis-incentivizing the pharmaceutical industry from discovering drug treatments for 'obscure' gene-environment match groups. Can a more accurate and helpful framing of the gene-environment interaction be identified? Findings that genes shape environments and that environments alter the gene pool suggest a more textured and symbiotic relationship that is still in search of an apt public framing.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011364 Professional Practice The use of one's knowledge in a particular profession. It includes, in the case of the field of biomedicine, professional activities related to health care and the actual performance of the duties related to the provision of health care. Practice, Professional,Practices, Professional,Professional Practices
D011640 Public Policy A course or method of action selected, usually by a government, from among alternatives to guide and determine present and future decisions. Social Policy,Affirmative Action,Migration Policy,Population Policy,Social Protection,Action, Affirmative,Migration Policies,Policies, Migration,Policies, Population,Policies, Public,Policies, Social,Policy, Migration,Policy, Population,Policy, Public,Policy, Social,Population Policies,Protection, Social,Public Policies,Social Policies
D004194 Disease A definite pathologic process with a characteristic set of signs and symptoms. It may affect the whole body or any of its parts, and its etiology, pathology, and prognosis may be known or unknown. Diseases
D004777 Environment The external elements and conditions which surround, influence, and affect the life and development of an organism or population. Environmental Impact,Environmental Impacts,Impact, Environmental,Impacts, Environmental,Environments
D005796 Genes A category of nucleic acid sequences that function as units of heredity and which code for the basic instructions for the development, reproduction, and maintenance of organisms. Cistron,Gene,Genetic Materials,Cistrons,Genetic Material,Material, Genetic,Materials, Genetic
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D044382 Population Groups Individuals classified according to their sex, racial and ethnic origin, religion, common place of living, financial or social status, or some other cultural or behavioral attribute. Group, Population,Population Group
D020022 Genetic Predisposition to Disease A latent susceptibility to disease at the genetic level, which may be activated under certain conditions. Genetic Predisposition,Genetic Susceptibility,Predisposition, Genetic,Susceptibility, Genetic,Genetic Predispositions,Genetic Susceptibilities,Predispositions, Genetic,Susceptibilities, Genetic
D033142 Genetic Services Organized services to provide diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of genetic disorders. Services, Genetic,Genetic Service,Service, Genetic

Related Publications

Kenneth A Dodge
November 2009, Journal of preventive medicine and public health = Yebang Uihakhoe chi,
Kenneth A Dodge
October 2006, Public health nutrition,
Kenneth A Dodge
December 2005, Current opinion in molecular therapeutics,
Kenneth A Dodge
February 2021, Lancet (London, England),
Kenneth A Dodge
February 2015, Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology,
Kenneth A Dodge
October 1980, American sociological review,
Kenneth A Dodge
August 1968, The American journal of psychiatry,
Kenneth A Dodge
January 1990, Human gene therapy,
Kenneth A Dodge
January 2018, Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.),
Copied contents to your clipboard!