Syndemic: A Synergistic Anthropological Approach to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This review describes the relationship between the coronavirus-related pandemic and health inequities. The latter are linked to pre-existing social and economic discriminations in terms of access to healthcare for people affected by chronic diseases. We believe that we are living in a “syndemic pandemic”. The term “syndemic” was originally developed by the medical anthropologist Merrill Singer in the 1990s in order to recognize the correlation between HIV/AIDS, illicit drug use, and violence in the United States. This complex interplay exacerbated the burden of the disease and the prognosis of the patient. Similarly, in COVID-19 infection, socio-economic, ethnic, and racial inequities result in higher morbidity and mortality in certain sections of society. Unfortunately, such differences are becoming too common during the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of the incidence and prevalence of the disease, as well as inequal access to new medical advances and life-saving therapeutics for those with COVID-19, such as vaccines and monoclonal antibody treatment. Lockdown measures, imposed internationally as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, are causing economic inequities, which complicate the issue even further. An appropriate syndemic anthropological approach is necessary to ensure that this pandemic does not increase health inequities in access to appropriate treatments.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and previous natural disasters on the mental health of healthcare workers in Puerto Rico

“…Following this framework, our findings regarding depressive symptomatology among HCWs could be interpreted not only as the result of exposure to COVID-19 or multiple natural disasters independently, but rather by a long-term interaction and sequential exposure to natural disasters before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to the social and environmental stressors previously mentioned (social, political, economic, and health crisis). This aligns with recent literature establishing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as a syndemic [ 30 ].…”

Strategies to Aid Successful Transition of Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease: A Systematic Review

“…As such, social determinants of health evaluation and referral to appropriate social services may lower the discontinuation in care [ 46 ]. This is the concept of “syndemic” (e.g., the theory stating that issues come up from the complex interaction between the spreading of an illness and social and/or environmental and/or economic circumstances that in turn negatively affect the illness itself) [ 47 ]. These individuals require specific attention to prevent discontinuity in their care.…”

Terminology for Medical Journalism: Terminological Resources, Neology, and the COVID-19 Syndemic

“…Singer has also recently written on the interaction between the concept of syndemic and that of structural violence in the context of COVID-19 (2021). Furthermore, the connection between syndemic and COVID-19 has recently been highlighted by Horton 2020 andCalcaterra et al 2022. cation of research results, even though the addressees are identical and share expert knowledge and terminology. On the other hand, medical journalism is also defined as "the communication of health and medical information in the media" (Hettiarachchi and Noreen 2020, 38).…”