Mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable populations: Lessons for improving health and social equity.

Autor: Tan SY; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address: s.tan14@u.nus.edu., Foo C; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore., Verma M; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore., Hanvoravongchai P; Thailand National Health Foundation, Bangkok, Thailand; Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand., Cheh PLJ; Thailand National Health Foundation, Bangkok, Thailand; Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand., Pholpark A; Thailand National Health Foundation, Bangkok, Thailand; Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand., Marthias T; Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia., Hafidz F; Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia., Prawidya Putri L; Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia., Mahendradhata Y; Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia., Giang KB; Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Viet Nam., Nachuk S; Gates Foundation, Seattle, USA., Wang H; Gates Foundation, Seattle, USA., Lim J; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore., Legido-Quigley H; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Social science & medicine (1982) [Soc Sci Med] 2023 Jul; Vol. 328, pp. 116007. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Jun 02.
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116007
Abstrakt: The COVID-19 pandemic had an inequitable and disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations, reversing decades of progress toward healthy populations and poverty alleviation. This study examines various programmatic tools and policy measures used by governments to support vulnerable populations during the pandemic. A comparative case study of 15 countries representing all World Health Organization's regions offers a comprehensive picture of countries with varying income statuses, health system arrangements and COVID-19 public health measures. Through a systematic desk review and key informant interviews, we report a spectrum of mitigation strategies deployed in these countries to address five major types of vulnerabilities (health, economic, social, institutional and communicative). We found a multitude of strategies that supported vulnerable populations such as migrant workers, sex workers, prisoners, older persons and school-going children. Prioritising vulnerable populations during the early phase of COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, direct financial subsidies and food assistance programmes were the most common measures reported. Additionally, framing public health information and implementing culturally sensitive health promotion interventions helped bridge the communication barriers in certain instances. However, these measures remain insufficient to protect vulnerable populations comprehensively. Our findings point to the need to expand fiscal space for health, enlarge healthcare coverage, incorporate equity principles in all policies, leverage technology, multi-stakeholder co-production of policies and tailored community engagement mechanisms.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None.
(Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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