LOGROÑO, June 2 (EUROPA PRESS) –
He 81% of Rioja residents hope that the next great advance in science related to health will be to achieve a cure for canceras reflected in the survey “Social perception of science and innovation in health”, carried out by the Pfizer Foundation within the framework of its 25th Anniversary.
The cure for cancer is also the main concern at the national level (76%), which is reasonable if one takes into account that, according to data from the European Union, one in two Europeans will develop cancer throughout their life1.
As for other major health challenges, La Rioja is the autonomous community in which the most concerned are finding a treatment to stop dementia (63% compared to 47% on average) or finding a cure for Parkinson’s (56% compared to 26% on average).
On the contrary, It is the community in which there is least concern about achieving a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS (13% compared to 39% on average) and multiple sclerosis (13% compared to 29% on average).
He discovery of DNA and vaccines tie for first place as the most relevant scientific health innovations in history for Riojans (50%). The Organ transplants (44%) take second place, while antibiotics (38%) and the discovery of x-rays (38%) tie for third place..
More than half of Riojans (56% compared to 39% on average) believe that the most important health innovation of the last 25 years has been the sequencing of the human genomewhich allows us to know and decipher the genetic code of living beings.
La Rioja is the community in which this option has been most valued and also in which messenger RNA technology has been most valued (50% compared to 32% on average) and precision medicine (44% compared to 34% of half).
On the other hand, 75% of Riojans have valued robotic surgery as the most relevant technological innovation of the last quarter of a century, ahead of 3D tissue printing (63%).
La Rioja is the autonomous community that most values the application of artificial intelligence to health (56% compared to 31% on average), while It is the second that least values the use of remote health monitoring devices, such as smartwatches or health apps (18% compared to 37% on average).
INTEREST IN SCIENCE AND INNOVATION IN HEALTH GROWS.
The survey also reflects that 100% of Riojans are interested in aspects related to science and innovation in health, a figure above the Spanish average (91%). Furthermore, in recent years this interest has increased for 53% of Riojans.
Despite the high interest, Riojans frequently seek or consume information about science and innovation in health, somewhat below the national average. Only 6% do it daily (compared to 10% on average), while 44% do it at least once a week (compared to 45% on average).
He 71% of Riojans get their information through the media and seek, above all, general information about health habits (64%) and new advances in scientific and technological research (57%). It should be noted that Riojans are the Spaniards who use internet search engines the least to find out about science and innovation in health (64% compared to 75% on average).
THE VALUE OF SCIENCE AND INNOVATION.
He 94% of Riojans (compared to 92% on average) believe that science and innovation are related to achieving advances in health and nearly 63% consider this relationship to be “total.” Furthermore, the 81% of Riojans consider that scientists and researchers of solutions and technologies in the health area do not have sufficient social recognition.
Besides, 63% of Riojans think that the Covid-19 pandemic has improved their perception of the importance of science and health innovation for society, while for 31% it has not led to changes.
He 63% of Riojans believe that public research centers and universities are the most relevant organizations in scientific research and health innovation. Next, Rioja residents value private companies (44%) and public hospitals (38%).
As for the specific benefits that science and health innovation bring to society, the most valued by Riojans is the improvement in people’s quality of life (82% compared to 73% on average), ahead of disease prevention (75%) and their contribution to saving lives (63%).
For the Riojans, The most effective way to promote science and innovation in the field of health in Spain would be to promote and incentivize young people’s health entrepreneurship (56% compared to 35% on average), as well as increase the budget allocated to them ( 56% versus 67% on average).
Following, the Riojans would choose to bring science and innovation closer to society (50%) and promote STEM skills (44%).
