Children of the Syndemic

Abstract

The term syndemic was developed by medical anthropologists to “label the synergistic interaction of two or more coexistent diseases and resultant excess burden of disease.” COVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated societal inequalities among children through differential indirect effects on family financial security, social adversity, mental health, and educational access, among other things. Using a child rights-based approach, the review examines how the syndemic has impacted aspects of the life of children, such as healthcare access, educational access, and family economic circumstances. The examples of the impact of the pandemic and existing inequities, the syndemic, given throughout the review are only a snapshot of the broad effects of the pandemic on the lives of children worldwide. Children have been spared by the worst direct clinical effects of COVID-19, but the indirect effects have been severe. Pediatricians and their organizations can contribute by working with non-governmental organizations and advocating for policy decisions at local, national, and international levels, which protect children from the short- and long-term consequences of the syndemic.

Keywords

• syndemic
• COVID 19
• Children

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