Equity in Public Health: An Epigenetic Perspective

Abstract

Evidence emerging from the study of epigenetics and epigenomics challenges notions of health by enhancing understanding of disease etiologies and improving awareness of new health risks. New paradigms arising from epigenetic and epigenomic research present challenging cases through which to debate theories of justice in health because they expand the concept of health and, controversially, place value on what was previously assumed to be ‘healthy' individual variance. Discoveries of the dynamic nature of the epigenome and its variable sensitivity towards change in numerous phenomena add further complexity to the assessment of health inequalities. Such evidence can cast doubt on perceptions of justice in health, which in turn raises questions over the suitability of actions taken in pursuit of equity. This article discusses how recent developments in epigenetics and epigenomics may impact upon assessments of equity in health. A review of literature discussing possible health risks associated with acquired yet heritable epigenetic variance is used to highlight the diversity of possible pathways through which health may be influenced. From this context, the consideration of health risk with respect to epigenetics, it is argued, demands a more inclusive concept of health when used in discussions of inequities.

Epigenetics in the Neoliberal “Regime of Truth”

“…Epigenetic programming and inheritance have reignited discussions about environmental and social justice duties to protect future generations from avoidable harm . Epigenetics, as we have previously discussed, can provide a convincing argument for biomedically inclined individuals and organizations to acknowledge the importance of addressing environmental living conditions and tackling social inequalities to improve public health .…”

Sustainable Digital Environments: What Major Challenges Is Humankind Facing?

“…State of the art knowledge of environmental epigenetics [176] suggests that the epigenetic effects (for an overview, see [29] (pp. 109-113)) of intense or excessive exposure to highly demanding E D cannot be discounted [177][178][179][180]. In this context an analysis of excessive exposure to destructive, aggressive, or sexual content (e.g., in excessive video gaming) is of interest [181].…”

Rapprochement Des Pôles Nature Et Culture Par La Recherche en Épigénétique : Dissection D’un Bouleversement Épistémologique Attendu

“…10 Les discussions sur les limites du déterminisme génétique ont mené le chercheur en biosémiotique Jesper Hoffmeyer (2002) à proposer le concept de « fallacy of digitalism », qu'il définit comme « the more or less automatic preference for explanations that ascribe primacy to digitally coded information or see such information as an explanation bottom line » (Burbano, 2006, p. 854). 11 Les prémisses des certaines théories de la justice, par exemple, ont été discutées par plusieurs auteurs à la lumière des progrès récents en épigénétique (Stapleton et al, 2012;Loi et al, 2013;Lafaye, 2015). 12 Dans son ouvrage Gender Trouble, publié en 1990, la féministe Judith Butler définit le genre comme « the repeated stylization of the body, a set of repeated acts ... that congeal over time to produce the appearance of substance, of a natural sort of being ».…”