PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted disparities in health, and not always in the way many would expect.
Social influencers of health are important. Environment, diet, financial circumstances and access to care can be as important as genes in determining health outcomes. Making vaccines available during the coronavirus pandemic has been one of the greatest public health efforts in the history of medicine. But there are still disparities.
Related
Some parts of the world do not have access because of financial or political issues — this impacts survival and health. Here in the United States the social determinants are more social than economic. There are questions of trust in government or collective memories of improper or unethical treatment.
Social influencers also play a role in determining who is at high risk for bad outcomes if exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. It is not simple at all.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.