Abstract
A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) caused a global pandemic in the months following the first four cases reported in Wuhan, China, on December 29, 2019. The elderly, immunocompromised, and those with preexisting conditions—such as asthma, cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension, chronic kidney disease (CKD), or obesity—experience higher risk of becoming severely ill if infected with the virus. Systemic social inequality and discrepancies in socioeconomic status (SES) contribute to higher incidence of asthma, CVD, hypertension, CKD, and obesity in segments of the general population. Such preexisting conditions bring heightened risk of complications for individuals who contract the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from the virus (2019-nCoV)—also known as “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2). In order to help vulnerable groups during times of a health emergency, focus must be placed at the root of the problem. Studying the social determinants of health (SDOH), and how they impact disadvantaged populations during times of crisis, will help governments to better manage health emergencies so that every individual has equal opportunity to staying healthy. This review summarizes the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Highlights
The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) spread rapidly throughout China during the Chinese New Year in late January of 2020, a time of increased domestic and international travel for Chinese people
The population that lives in poverty and in neighborhoods that are overcrowded with poor maintenance and sanitation is being disproportionately affected by COVID-19
It is imperative to provide additional aid for low-income families, such as the stimulus check. This is especially important during times of disease outbreaks, as this is a vulnerable population that is at risk for serious illness
Summary
The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) spread rapidly throughout China during the Chinese New Year in late January of 2020, a time of increased domestic and international travel for Chinese people. Education level of an individual can impact his or her occupation, which determines economic stability and income level, which can impact the type of healthcare the individual is eligible for and what neighborhood the individual lives in, which impacts the social and community context the individual is surrounded by and those factors played important role in current COVID-19 pandemic. Health literacy can allow people to understand their responsibility of adhering to social distancing and other recommended measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and the reasoning behind the measures being taken to prevent the spread of the virus.
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