A compelling exploration of how socio-political factors like inequality and poverty exacerbate pandemics. In a world where millions perish from preventable diseases amid unprecedented wealth and technological advancement, Pandemics, Poverty, and Politics illuminates a central paradox of our times. This compelling work by a seasoned physician and global health leader unravels the complex web of social, political, and economic factors driving pandemics and other health crises. Drawing from three decades of experience in the public health field, Tyler B. Evans, MD, MS, MPH, presents a unique and deeply personal narrative. The book begins with a foundational introduction to social medicine and health systems, as well as the social and political determinants of health. Case studies from every major pandemic since the mid-nineteenth century to current times-beginning with the third plague and ending with COVID-19-highlight the common social and political drivers of these outbreaks. Fractured health systems worsened by social disruption place inordinate stress on societies and disproportionately impact the most vulnerable. Case studies ranging from malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases to influenza, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and tuberculosis, reinforce how socio-political factors build upon each other; for example, high population stress following political repression and unrest in Apartheid South Africa contributed to a major outbreak of HIV in the 1990s. While scientific advancements have progressed, the failure to address underlying social inequities leaves us vulnerable to even more devastating health crises. This book is an essential read for public health professionals, policymakers, students, and anyone committed to understanding and mitigating the complex factors that underpin global health emergencies.
Tyler B. Evans, MD, MS, MPH, DTM&H, FIDSA, is an infectious disease and public health physician. He was the first chief medical officer (CMO) for New York City. He is currently the CEO, CMO, and cofounder of the Wellness Equity Alliance, a national group of clinicians and public health professionals committed to transforming health care delivery to historically marginalized communities. He is an adjunct research associate professor at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences and an adjunct clinical associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
Foreword, by Peter Hotez Foreword, by David Mabey Prologue Acknowledgments Introduction Part I. The Foundational Principles of Social Medicine Chapter 1. A Primer in Health Systems Hospital Networks Community Health Public Health Population Health Chapter 2. Defining the Social (and Political) Determinants of Health Economic Stability Education Access and Quality Health Care Access and Quality (Health Equity) Neighborhood and Built Environment Social and Community Context Political Determinants Chapter 3. Population Stress Chapter 4. Selected Vulnerable Populations Around the World Poverty Neighborhoods Minority Race/Ethnicity Minority Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Religious Minorities Low-Income Labor Immigration Status of Political Migrants People with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Justice-Impacted Communities Part II. Syndemics-the Cascading Impacts of Poverty and Pandemics Chapter 5. History of Contemporary Pandemics and Public Health Emergencies of International Concern 3rd Plague Pandemic, 1855-1960 6th Cholera Pandemic, 1899-1923 Spanish Influenza, 1918-1920 Asian Flu, 1957-1958 Hong Kong Flu, 1968-1970 Swine Flu, 2009-2010 HIV/AIDS, 1981- Ebola (West Africa, 2014-2016; Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2019-2020) COVID-19, 2019- Chapter 6. The Most Prevalent Infectious Disease Killers Today Tuberculosis Malaria Meningitis Measles Diarrheal Diseases Summary of the Sociopolitical Determinants of Current Infectious Disease Killers Part III. How Can We Do Better? Chapter 7. The Future of Syndemic Management Chapter 8. A Call to Action Glossary Notes Further Reading Index
A compelling exploration of how socio-political factors like inequality and poverty exacerbate pandemics.
