Noncommunicable diseases, climate change and iniquities: What COVID‐19 has taught us about syndemic

Ciaula, Agostino Di; Krawczyk, Marcin; Filipiak‬, Krzysztof J.; Geier, Andreas; Bonfrate, Leonilde; Portincasa, Piero

doi:10.1111/eci.13682

Cited by 25 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 99 publications

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“…The negative role of progressive ageing, growing noncommunicable diseases and inequalities also links COVID-19 with the health effects of climate change. In fact, among the social categories with the highest degree of vulnerability to the health effects of global warming are aged people, people facing social disadvantages and those with chronic diseases [ 1 ].…”

Section: The Pandemic As a Component Of A Syndemicmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Internists are experts in complexity, and the COVID-19 pandemic is disclosing unexpected interactions between communicable and non-communicable diseases, environmental and socio-economic aspects. This is a scenario which makes SARS-Cov-2 infection a part of a syndemic [ 1 ], rather than a “simple” pandemic. Syndemic is due to complex cross-links generated by the spread of this communicable disease in vulnerable populations suffering from an increasing epidemiologic burden of chronic diseases and disabilities, social and economic inequalities [ 2 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental health, COVID-19, and the syndemic: internal medicine facing the challenge

Ciaula

Moshammer

Lauriola³

et al. 2022

Intern Emerg Med

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Internists are experts in complexity, and the COVID-19 pandemic is disclosing complex and unexpected interactions between communicable and non-communicable diseases, environmental factors, and socio-economic disparities. The medicine of complexity cannot be limited to facing comorbidities and to the clinical management of multifaceted diseases. Evidence indicates how climate change, pollution, demographic unbalance, and inequalities can affect the spreading and outcomes of COVID-19 in vulnerable communities. These elements cannot be neglected, and a wide view of public health aspects by a “one-health” approach is strongly and urgently recommended. According to World Health Organization, 35% of infectious diseases involving the lower respiratory tract depend on environmental factors, and infections from SARS-Cov-2 is not an exception. Furthermore, environmental pollution generates a large burden of non-communicable diseases and disabilities, increasing the individual vulnerability to COVID-19 and the chance for the resilience of large communities worldwide. In this field, the awareness of internists must increase, as privileged healthcare providers. They need to gain a comprehensive knowledge of elements characterizing COVID-19 as part of a syndemic. This is the case when pandemic events hit vulnerable populations suffering from the increasing burden of chronic diseases, disabilities, and social and economic inequalities. Mastering the interplay of such events requires a change in overall strategy, to adequately manage not only the SARS-CoV-2 infection but also the growing burden of non-communicable diseases by a “one health” approach. In this context, experts in internal medicine have the knowledge and skills to drive this change.

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Section: The Pandemic As a Component Of A Syndemicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental health, COVID-19, and the syndemic: internal medicine facing the challenge

Ciaula

Moshammer

Lauriola³

et al. 2022

Intern Emerg Med

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As a consequence, as shown by a number of previous papers, the lockdown has represented a populationbased, inedited model of increased metabolic risk in all age groups, able to affect the health status in a relatively short period [1]. From this point of view, the deleterious combination of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic with the already ongoing pandemic due to chronic non-communicable diseases such as obesity and metabolic diseases, constituted a condition for a syndemic [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Different Variation of Intra-familial Body Mass Index subjected to Covid-19 Lockdown

Faienza

Colaianni

Ciaula

et al. 2022

JGLD

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Background and Aims: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown has represented an inedited model of increased metabolic risk in all age groups, due to negative changes in dietary habits, physical activity, lifestyle. These effects have been generally explored at a population level in distinct age groups. Potential intra-familial, specific effects in adults and children sharing the same socio-economic, cultural level and living habits have been scarcely explored. We aimed to characterize changes of anthropometric indices in parents and in their children during COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: A cohort of 149 couple parent/children were prospectively enrolled. By a validated questionnaire we explored changes of body mass index (BMI) and individual lifestyle during a 2-month lockdown (May- July 2020). Results: BMI increased in 70.5% of parents and in 67.8% of their children, with a Δ-BMI of 1.44+0.09 kg/ m 2 and 0.36+0.02 Kg/m 2 , respectively. BMI increments, however, were only significant in adults and did not correlate in the couple parents/children. Most adults (80.5%) and children (71.4%) did not perform regular physical activity during the lockdown. Direct correlations between dietary changes and BMI variations became evident in children, mainly in terms of a decreased consumption of fresh fruit, pulses, fish, and an increased consumption of cereals, carbohydrates, dairy products, olive oil. In normal weight, overweight and obese children, but not in adults, the increase in sleep hours increased with BMI. Conclusions: Despite marked lifestyle changes imposed by the COVID-19 lockdown, BMI variations in parents were independent from those observed in their children, pointing to different outcomes in response to the same external, critical event. Thus, primary prevention measures aimed at maintaining a healthy lifestyle require different approaches according to age.

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“…Since then, the virus has spread globally and has caused a dramatic toll of infections (more than 230 million cases) and more than 4.7 million deaths, affecting 221 countries and territories around the world. Some authors have proposed terming the still-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic a syndemic [9], showing that the virus, by interacting with underlying societal iniquities, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and effects generated by climate change, has amplified already-existing distortions, resulting in an excess of mortality and morbidity.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Noncommunicable diseases, climate change and iniquities: What COVID‐19 has taught us about syndemic

Cited by 25 publications

References 99 publications

Environmental health, COVID-19, and the syndemic: internal medicine facing the challenge

Environmental health, COVID-19, and the syndemic: internal medicine facing the challenge

Different Variation of Intra-familial Body Mass Index subjected to Covid-19 Lockdown

The COVID-19 Pandemic Seen from a Syndemic Perspective: The LGBTQIA2SP+ Community

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