Syndemic
Syndemic
Syndemic (pronounced: sin-demic) is a term used in the field of public health to describe the synergistic interaction of two or more coexistent diseases and the resultant excess burden of disease. The term is derived from the Greek words "syn", meaning "together", and "demos", meaning "people".
Etymology
The term "syndemic" was first coined by medical anthropologist Merrill Singer in the 1990s. It is a portmanteau of the words "synergy" and "epidemic", reflecting the concept's origins in observing the interaction of multiple epidemics in specific populations.
Related Terms
- Epidemic: A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.
- Pandemic: An epidemic of disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents, or worldwide.
- Endemic: The constant presence and/or usual prevalence of a disease or infectious agent in a population within a geographic area.
- Comorbidity: The simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient.
Usage in Public Health
In public health, the concept of a syndemic is used to describe situations where health-related problems cluster by person, place, or time. This can include the interaction of diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, or the interaction of health problems like substance abuse, violence, and HIV/AIDS. The concept is particularly useful in understanding health disparities and guiding public health interventions.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Syndemic
- Wikipedia's article - Syndemic
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski