syndemic

English

Etymology

Coined by Merrill Singer in the mid-1990s. Blend of synergy +‎ demic (“of a population”). Compare epidemic (literally “upon the people”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛmɪk

Noun

syndemic (plural syndemics)

1. An aggregation of two or more diseases that interact synergistically within a population.

   Coordinate terms: epidemic, pandemic

   • 2009, Elaine Marie Bennett, Understanding Childhood Malnutrition in a Maya Village in Guatemala, page 11:

     In sum malnutrition, infectious disease, and cognitive impairment constitute a syndemic that is rooted in and perpetuates suboptimal social, political, and economic conditions.

   • 2020 September 26, Richard Horton, “Offline: COVID-19 is not a pandemic”, in The Lancet, volume 396, number 10255, →DOI:

     The aggregation of these diseases on a background of social and economic disparity exacerbates the adverse effects of each separate disease. COVID-19 is not a pandemic. It is a syndemic.

Translations

aggregation of two or more diseases

• Catalan: sindèmia f
• French: syndémie (fr) f
• Portuguese: sindemia (pt) f
• Spanish: sindemia f

Adjective

syndemic (not comparable)

1. Describing such a situation
   • 2020 September 26, Richard Horton, “Offline: COVID-19 is not a pandemic”, in The Lancet, volume 396, number 10255, →DOI:

     The syndemic nature of the threat we face means that a more nuanced approach is needed if we are to protect the health of our communities.

Translations

Translations

• Catalan: sindèmic m
• French: syndémique m or f
• Spanish: sindémico m

Further reading

• syndemic on Wikipedia.Wikipedia