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World Science Forum Budapest 2003. Knowledge and Quality of Life Hans Wigzell President, Karolinska Institutet. Quality of Life defined. - at micro and individual levels - at pheno and group levels - at social levels - at national, regional, global levels
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World Science Forum Budapest 2003 Knowledge and Quality of Life Hans Wigzell President, Karolinska Institutet
Quality of Life defined - at micro and individual levels - at pheno and group levels - at social levels - at national, regional, global levels gives rise to measurement challenges, communication and understanding
Knowledge in some form drives Quality of Life Evolutionary knowledge implies self-organization Managed knowledge implies power - implying opportunism, technology, innovation - implying forms and distribution of Quality of Life
Knowledge defined as “coded information in the brain” - but 100 billion neurons, synapses in the brain - and the working of the brain only partially known - and we have evolutionary learning and hidden knowledge (interaction brain and environment over time) - hence always limited knowledge - hence behaviour is always systematic and random
Knowledge in Quality of Life-Contexts: • Evolutionary knowledge (learning, tacit knowledge, experience) • Very broad scope – the winner in the end? • Knowledge by intuition and power • Middle range scope • Knowledge produced by scientific methods • Limited scope?
Knowledge and science create value and reduce cost • Uncured diseases ranked by cost to society: • Heart disease • Cancer • Alzheimer´s • Diabetes • Arthritis • Depression • Stroke • Osteoporosis • The expected benefits from investment in medical science are enormous and will remain so
Quality of Life: Cancer Survival Rates • Acute Lymphatic Leukaemia 1964-66: 4 % 1994-96 89% • BBreast Cancer • 1964-66 65% • 1994-96 84% • PProstate Cancer • 1964-66 45% • 1994-96 72% • TTesticle Cancer • 1964-66 49% • 1994-96 95% • Lung Cancer women men 1964-66 11% 8% 1994-96 10% 10% (Source: The National Board of Health and Welfare)
” A PREVENTATIVE LIFESTYLE IS BETTER THAN ANY CURE ” DON'T: Smoke Have sex without protection Stress DO: Educate yourself Eat balanced food Sleep Be physically active Vaccinate yourself Strengthen your social life
Knowledge about brain function Better insight into the processes of brain function New strategies for improving and restoring brain function Therapy for children with ADHD Therapy for patents with stroke Improved Quality of Life
Living in the Information Society • The knowledgeable and demanding patient • Easy access to information/knowledge • Rapidly information turnover/transfer • Patient wants involvement in treatment • Interest in self care/home care
Artificial self-assembling information systems are badly needed
Scientific knowledge is built on logic Seemingly logical assumptions can create major errors in “knowledge” Example: Allergies are increasing all over the world Earlier considered reasons: Allergy is caused by bad indoor milieu etc = Increasing hygiene is “good” advice! New facts: Early contact with micro organisms and allergens give protection!
