COVID-19 as a syndemic: from inequalities to biological embodiment

ABSTRACT

Different determinants play a role in the health and wellbeing of people, population groups, communities, and the society as a whole. During the COVID-19 epidemic (and beyond) the direct and indirect impact of such determinants has become yet more evident. Individual proximal factors such as age, ethnicity, socioeconomic position, underlying comorbidities have concurred to increase individual risk of acquiring the infection as well as of developing severe disease complications, including death. The concept of COVID-19 as a syndemic has been proposed on this ground, whereby socioeconomic determinants of disease have catalyzed health worse outcomes.