Social vulnerability in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a bioethical discussion

Abstract

To analyze, from a bioethical perspective, social vulnerability in relation to health during the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study included peer-reviewed publications from January 1st until December 31st 2020, identified in Pubmed, SciELO and LILACS data basis. Mesh terms were utilized for research in Pubmed as follows: “COVID-19” conjugated with the terms: “vulnerable population”, “population groups”, “social determinants of health”, “health equity”. Portuguese and Spanish equivalents DECS terms were used for searching in the other two databases. Results: a total of 132 articles were found. After applied inclusion and exclusion criteria, were 21 eligible articles. The most recurrent themes were: racial, ethnic and social-economics, gender, age, disability and chronic health conditions. Articles addressing more than one theme were observed, integrating different aspects of vulnerable populations. A bioethical discussion with focus in vulnerability based in the data retrieved took place and connections with discrimination and social determinants of health were made. Conclusion: Results point to the violation of rights explained in the Universal Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights. By increasing the disparity in morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 of population groups already impacted by the social determination of health, there is a violation of the right to health, indicating that governments and societies fail to respect the vulnerability of social groups in the pandemic context. Submission: 08/01/23| Review: 09/15/23| Approval: 09/18/23