Covid-19 pandemic as an aggravating factor of health inequalities


Published: Oct 22, 2020
Keywords:
Covid-19 pandemic health inequalities vulnerable social groups racial discriminations economy
Panagiotis Stachteas
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1657-4696
Fotis Stachteas
Abstract

The rapidly spreading Covid-19 pandemic has had unprecedented implications on the world's population by decisively affecting human lives, cultures and economies. Although its social neutrality had initially been argued, clear differences in mortality and morbidity were soon confirmed, reflecting pre-existing health inequalities. The financially poor, the racial minorities, the refugees, the homeless are affected more often and more seriously by the pandemic, intensifying their already burdened health profile. In addition, the economy has been irreparably damaged, unemployment rates have risen and many households were led to poverty. Finally, health policies have a key role to play in both avoiding the deterioration of existing social inequalities and shaping an equal, just and solidary world.

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Author Biographies
Panagiotis Stachteas, Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης
Ιατρός, Τμήμα Ιατρικής, Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης
Fotis Stachteas, Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης
Τμήμα Χημείας, Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης
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