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Structural inequalities exacerbate infection disparities
Sina Sajjadi1,2,3, Pourya Toranj Simin4, Mehrzad Shadmangohar5
1Complexity Science Hub, Vienna, Austria. sina.sajjadi@it-u.at.
Scientific Reports
|March 18, 2025
Summary
Structural inequalities like wealth gaps and social segregation worsen COVID-19 spread and health disparities. Reducing these inequalities can decrease disease transmission and improve public health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Computational modeling
- Public Health
Background:
- COVID-19 disproportionately affected marginalized and low-income populations.
- Structural societal inequalities are linked to health disparities, but quantitative explanations are lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To computationally model and quantitatively assess the impact of wealth inequality and social segregation on COVID-19 spread.
- To investigate how structural inequalities exacerbate health disparities and disease transmission.
Main Methods:
- Developed a computational model analyzing wealth inequality and social segregation.
- Conducted data-driven analyses using US metropolitan area data and Chicago COVID-19 data.
Main Results:
- Inequality in self-quarantine ability widened the infection gap between income groups, increasing overall cases.
- Social segregation intensified disease spread rates and contributed to a potential second infection wave.
- Higher segregation correlated with increased infection cases and greater inequality across ethnic/socioeconomic groups.
Conclusions:
- Structural inequalities significantly impact infectious disease spread and health disparities.
- Reducing wealth inequality and social segregation can mitigate disease transmission and reduce health inequities.
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