The article explains that the current state of health outcomes has been building for decades and should be considered a syndemic, which is the simultaneous occurrence of two prevalent health conditions or endemics. In this article, the authors compare geographic maps of the Unites States outlining COVID-19 deaths, several lifestyle behaviors, obesity, and chronic conditions. With this, a pattern is evident and quite alarming for medical professionals.
“The reality of this comparison should be quite eye-opening for many,” said Lavie. “The only way to combat the syndemic we are experiencing is to promote healthy lifestyles and address the health needs of all, especially those in underserved communities who have been disproportionately impacted by poor outcomes related to chronic conditions and COVID-19.”
More information:
Ross Arena et al, Mapping One Million COVID-19 Deaths and Unhealthy Lifestyle Behaviors in the United States: Recognizing the Syndemic Pattern and Taking Action, The American Journal of Medicine (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2022.06.006
Provided by
Ochsner Health System
Citation:
Connecting unhealthy lifestyles to COVID-19 deaths (2022, November 10)
retrieved 22 November 2022
from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-11-unhealthy-lifestyles-covid-deaths.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.