July 18, 2025
5 min read
Key takeaways:
- Proper sleep, diet, sociability and openness to new ideas are crucial to building, maintaining brain health.
- Individuals and health care professionals have many avenues to increase awareness and take action.
Spearheaded by the World Federation of Neurology, World Brain Day on July 22 will celebrate the theme of “Brain Health for All Ages” and prevention of neurological disorders.
To commemorate the occasion, Healio spoke with Bruce Ovbiagele, MD, FACP, FRCP, FAHA, FAAAS, president of the Society for Equity Neuroscience (SEQUINS), for his thoughts on this year’s five action messages – awareness, education, prevention, access to care and disability management, and advocacy – for maintaining brain health personally, locally and globally.
Healio: In this era of widespread social media and technology, how can specialists improve awareness, prevent stigma and promote early intervention for neurologic disorders?
Ovbiagele: First, specialists can use telemedicine and other online tools to facilitate faster and more accessible interactions with their patients with neurologic disorders.
Second, they can build an online reputation by routinely sharing informative content on social media like infographics, videos, blog posts, and podcasts about neurological disorders, their symptoms, and treatment options, thereby reaching a broader audience.
Third, they can utilize social media platforms to leverage recurring national/international health awareness campaigns and events, like World Brain Day, to engage communities, advocate for better care and funding for neurological research and interventions and promote education about the early signs and symptoms of neurological disorders.
Fourth, they can share the positive experiences and journeys of anonymized patients to correct inaccuracies, reduce misconceptions, build empathy, empower individuals and encourage caregivers.
Fifth, they can partner with advocacy organizations and trustworthy social media influencers to increase knowledge, reduce stigma and highlight key resources, including support groups and professional services. Healio: Given existing technology and global reach, how can patients, caregivers, clinicians and family members gain the knowledge and experience to influence and promote brain health?
Ovbiagele: Secure messaging within telehealth platforms can facilitate ongoing communication between clinicians, patients and caregivers, thereby supporting adherence to treatment plans and overall well-being.
Patients, caregivers and family members can take advantage of digital tools with plain-language interpretations to improve their brain health literacy, clinical knowledge, insights about brain healthy behaviors, and awareness of neurological research advances.
These groups also can join online forums and virtual support platforms, which create dedicated spaces for them to connect, share experiences, and access information and support.
Finally, they can subscribe to patient education magazines like Brain & Life or podcasts such as No Brain Behind for ongoing enlightenment on brain health issues and interventions.
Healio: How can health care professionals and others successfully implement evidence-based measures like nutrition, vaccination, attention to brain health and overall lifestyle changes?
Ovbiagele: First, brain health care professionals should know about and keep up with all pertinent evident-based practices through continuous medical education derived from professional courses, scientific meetings, scientific journals, and expert consensus practice guidelines.
Second, they should establish clinical pathways that systematically incorporate evidence-based practices into their routine-based care delivery.
Next, they should seek to educate and re-educate patients, caregivers and family members about the need for and nature of evidence-based therapies prescribed. They additionally should emphasize to patients and caregivers that successful implementation of evidence-based measures will require a mutual proactive partnership, if better brain health outcomes and improved quality of life are to be achieved.
Concerned providers should also try to better understand the home and community context in which patients will be implementing evidence-based practices, so they can ensure that the environment is conducive for optimal compliance with these practices. This could include referrals to community programs and navigators.
Last, it is crucial to track compliance with evidence-based practices for their patients over time and to make appropriate changes to the prescribed regimen as new scientific knowledge comes to light.
Healio: What is being done to expand access to quality brain-related care, not only in less-wealthy locales and underrepresented populations but also in regions of the world with a higher standard of living?
Ovbiagele: Overall, the expansion of quality brain health care is being approached from a multifaceted perspective, recognizing the unique challenges faced by different regions and populations while promoting a unified vision for improving global brain health across the lifespan.
Several organizations are focusing on community engagement and outreach to build trust and increase participation in research and clinical trials, particularly among underrepresented populations who are at higher risk for neurological diseases. Efforts also are being made to collect and analyze data on the social drivers of brain health to identify and address disparities in brain health care access. The Society for Equity Neuroscience is a unifying global organization that seeks to reduce neurological disparities through scientific interventions. Collaborative platforms, innovative funding approaches, overcoming cost barriers, and use of task shifting from scanty physician workforces to trained nurses and allied health care professionals are being explored.
Bruce Ovbiagele
Many initiatives are leveraging technology and digital platforms to help improve access to care, screening, diagnosis, and treatment, particularly in low-resource settings. Some of these programs tap into the high mobile phone penetration in several low- and middle-income countries.
In regions of the world with a high standard of living, strong national policies and collaborations between public and private sectors are crucial for advancing brain health initiatives, so high income countries are developing national brain health plans aligned with global recommendations, emphasizing prevention, early diagnosis, and high-quality care services. The CDC has a Healthy Brain Initiative focused on improving understanding and awareness of brain health as a vital part of public health and offers resources and strategies to promote brain health across the lifespan.
In some high-income countries, validated self-care tools like the Brain Care Score (BCS), a 21-point scale developed to assess and improve brain health, focus on modifiable risk factors for stroke, dementia and late-life depression.
Healio: How can individuals start advocating for increased research and development in their communities and their states, even before tackling larger issues like federal and global financial allocations?
Ovbiagele: Individuals can identify and reach out to their state legislators and local officials directly involved with fund allocation research-related initiatives. This could involve requesting brief meetings to discuss the importance of supporting research and innovation in their community and state or participating in events to meet with state lawmakers and educate them about the critical role of research in the advancement of brain health care and outcomes.
In such settings it may be helpful to use data and share personal stories to highlight the positive impact of brain research and development in the community and showcase how specific projects align with local priorities.
People also can partner with organizations including with local universities, research institutions, businesses, and non-profits that also have an interest in promoting research and development. They can form advocacy groups with other stakeholders, allowing for a unified message that amplifies the collective voice in places such as town hall meetings, public forums, or other events that highlight local research to emphasize how increased research investment will contribute to sustained positive change as well.
Healio: What other issues and factors facing brain health do you think need to be addressed this month and in the future?
Ovbiagele: Individuals can help themselves and those around them with four considerations:
Reference:
For more information:
Bruce Ovbiagele, MD, FACP, FRCP, FAHA, FAAAS, can be reached on LinkedIn here.