Environments, Behaviors, and Inequalities: Reflecting on the Impacts of the Influenza and Coronavirus Pandemics in the United States.

Jennifer D Roberts,Shadi O Tehrani

doi:10.3390/ijerph17124484

Abstract

In the past century, dramatic shifts in demographics, globalization and urbanization have facilitated the rapid spread and transmission of infectious diseases across continents and countries. In a matter of weeks, the 2019 coronavirus pandemic devastated communities worldwide and reinforced the human perception of frailty and mortality. Even though the end of this pandemic story has yet to unfold, there is one parallel that is undeniable when a comparison is drawn between the 2019 coronavirus and the 1918 influenza pandemics. The public health response to disease outbreaks has remained nearly unchanged in the last 101 years. Furthermore, the role of environments and human behaviors on the effect and response to the coronavirus pandemic has brought to light many of the historic and contemporaneous inequalities and injustices that plague the United States. Through a reflection of these pandemic experiences, the American burden of disparity and disproportionality on morbidity, mortality and overall social determinants of health has been examined. Finally, a reimagination of a post-coronavirus existence has also been presented along with a discussion of possible solutions and considerations for moving forward to a new and better normal.

Highlights

Pandemics: Environments, Behaviors, and Inequalities “An epidemic erodes social cohesiveness because the source of your danger is your fellow human beings, the source of your danger is your wife, children, parents and so on
When a comparison is drawn between the 2019 coronavirus pandemic and the 1918 influenza pandemic, the most widely available tools to respond to these disease outbreaks have remained nearly the same
The function of human behaviors and social ideologies stemmed from the darker side of humanity must be acknowledged as an important component to determining who lives and who survives during the deadliest periods of disease pandemics

Summary

Introduction

Pandemics: Environments, Behaviors, and Inequalities “An epidemic erodes social cohesiveness because the source of your danger is your fellow human beings, the source of your danger is your wife, children, parents and so on. Understanding that the environment plays a significant role in disease dynamics and in determining the health of individuals has always been an essential aspect to controlling and managing infectious diseases. The history of urban planning in the past century has highlighted how built environments can have an effect on preventing both chronic and infectious diseases [4]. The function of human behaviors and social ideologies stemmed from the darker side of humanity must be acknowledged as an important component to determining who lives and who survives during the deadliest periods of disease pandemics

Influenza Pandemic

Coronavirus Pandemic

Creating a Post-COVID-19 New Normal

Findings

Conclusions