Two or more epidemics interacting synergistically and contributing, as a result of their interaction, to the clustering of excess burden of disease in a location or population, more than just the sum of both and simple additive associations.
Published in Chapter:
The Syndemic and One Health Nature of Pandemics: Arguments for Renewed Attention to Intelligence Management
João Paulo Magalhães (ACES Porto Oriental, Portugal), Tiago Correia (Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal), Inês Fronteira (Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal), Mohsin Sidat (Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal & Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique), Fernando Passos Cupertino de Barros (Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Brazil & Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal), Cláudio Tadeu Daniel-Ribeiro (Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Centro de Pesquisa Diagnóstico e Treinamento em Malaria, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Brazil), Antonio Pedro C. Delgado (Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal), and Paulo Ferrinho (Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal)
Copyright: © 2022
|Pages: 13
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-8011-0.ch001
Abstract
The interdependence of humans, animals, plants, and their social and abiotic environment is highlighted by past and recent pandemics. A good example to understand and tackle threats to ecosystems is the COVID-19 pandemic. A syndemic is a complex and multilevel phenomenon of epidemics interacting synergistically at individual, societal, and environmental levels. Understanding the syndemic nature of pandemics will facilitate the adoption of a One Health approach to improve planetary health. To address the eco-complexity underlying One Health issues, the development of intelligence management systems through a planetary perspective is of key importance. This requires the capacity to capture, process, and communicate data on human, animal, and plant health and well-being, and on their social and environmental determinants. The implementation of such systems will need political commitment at all levels of action, deployment of adequate resources and expertise, reliable and comprehensive data flowing pathways through interoperable, flexible, and secure data sharing systems.