- Authors: Inês Fronteira, Mohsin Sidat, João Paulo Magalhães, Fernando Passos Cupertino de Barros, António Pedro Delgado, Tiago Correia, Cláudio Tadeu Daniel-Ribeiro, Paulo Ferrinho
- Publication Year: 2021
- Journal: One Health, vol 12, art 100228
- Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100228
ABSTRACT
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has affected communities, populations, and countries throughout the world. As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic developed, the extent to which the disease interacted with already existing endemic, non-communicable and infectious diseases became evident, hence deeply influencing health outcomes. Additionally, a synergistic effect has been demonstrated also with socio-economic, cultural, and contextual determinants of health which seem to contribute to poorer health and accumulating social disadvantages.
In this essay, using as a starting point the syndemic theory that translates the cumulative and intertwined factors between different epidemics, we argue that the SARS-CoV-2 is a one health issue of a syndemic nature and that the failure to acknowledge this contributes to weakened policy-making processes and public health responses and ineffective health policies and programs.
HIGHLIGHTS
- • COVID-19 is a one health issue.
- • COVID-19 has a syndemic nature.
- • Syndemic- informed approaches can lead to impactful multilevel prevention strategies.
- • Reducing limits between diseases, human and animal health encourage integrated, SDG-aligned approaches to planetary healths.