Social science & medicine
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Social science & medicine · Sep 2020
Spatial epidemiology: An empirical framework for syndemics research.
Syndemics framework describes two or more co-occurring epidemics that synergistically interact with each other and the complex structural social forces that sustain them leading to excess disease burden. The term syndemic was first used to describe the interaction between substance abuse, violence, and AIDS by Merrill Singer. A broader range of syndemic studies has since emerged describing the framework's applicability to other public health scenarios. ⋯ In this paper, we present a background on syndemics and spatial epidemiological theory and practice. We then present a case study focused on the HIV and HCV syndemic in West Virginia to provide an example of the use of GIS and spatial analytical methods. The concepts described in this paper can be considered to enhance understanding and analysis of other syndemics for which space-time data are available.