IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v295y2022ics0277953620305232.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Syndemics theory must take local context seriously: An example of measures for poverty, mental health, and food insecurity

Author

Listed:
  • Weaver, Lesley Jo
  • Kaiser, Bonnie N.

Abstract

Syndemics theory has provided insight into the ways that disease states and social adversity interact in marginalized populations to further disempower these groups. Yet, until recently, scholars have not identified how we might actually recognize and measure a syndemic, as opposed to a situation where there are multiple but non-interacting diseases present in a population. As researchers like those included in this special issue develop new methods for assessing syndemic interactions in diverse global populations, this short communication argues for the value of locally relevant measures. Poverty, mental health, food insecurity, and type 2 diabetes are used to illustrate the assessment of a potential syndemic from a locally grounded perspective. The discussion emphasizes the insights locally adapted measures can add and what information would be lost without their use.

Suggested Citation

  • Weaver, Lesley Jo & Kaiser, Bonnie N., 2022. "Syndemics theory must take local context seriously: An example of measures for poverty, mental health, and food insecurity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:295:y:2022:i:c:s0277953620305232
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113304
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953620305232
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113304?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. de Haen, Hartwig & Klasen, Stephan & Qaim, Matin, 2011. "What do we really know? Metrics for food insecurity and undernutrition," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 760-769.
    2. Lubhana Malik Mental, 2019. "Mental Health in Adolescents," Global Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Juniper Publishers Inc., vol. 6(3), pages 45-46, March.
    3. Hadley, Craig & Lindstrom, David & Tessema, Fasil & Belachew, Tefara, 2008. "Gender bias in the food insecurity experience of Ethiopian adolescents," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 427-438, January.
    4. Lund, Crick & Breen, Alison & Flisher, Alan J. & Kakuma, Ritsuko & Corrigall, Joanne & Joska, John A. & Swartz, Leslie & Patel, Vikram, 2010. "Poverty and common mental disorders in low and middle income countries: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(3), pages 517-528, August.
    5. repec:bla:eurcho:v:7:y:2008:i:specialissuecap:p:30-35 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Krista Jacobs & Aslihan Kes, 2015. "The Ambiguity of Joint Asset Ownership: Cautionary Tales From Uganda and South Africa," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 23-55, July.
    7. Doss, Cheryl R., 1996. "Testing among models of intrahousehold resource allocation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(10), pages 1597-1609, October.
    8. Weaver, Lesley Jo & Worthman, Carol M. & DeCaro, Jason A. & Madhu, S.V., 2015. "The signs of stress: Embodiments of biosocial stress among type 2 diabetic women in New Delhi, India," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 122-130.
    9. Joachim Von Braun, 2008. "Rising Food Prices: What Should Be Done? Steigende Nahrungsmittelpreise: Was sollte getan werden? La hausse des prix alimentaires : Que doit‐on faire?," EuroChoices, The Agricultural Economics Society, vol. 7(2), pages 30-35, August.
    10. Gemma-Claire Ali & Grace Ryan & Mary J De Silva, 2016. "Validated Screening Tools for Common Mental Disorders in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Systematic Review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(6), pages 1-14, June.
    11. Hadley, Craig & Maxfield, Amanda & Hruschka, Daniel, 2019. "Different forms of household wealth are associated with opposing risks for HIV infection in East Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 344-351.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ohrnberger, Julius & Anselmi, Laura & Fichera, Eleonora & Sutton, Matt, 2020. "The effect of cash transfers on mental health: Opening the black box – A study from South Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    2. Chijioke O. Nwosu & Umakrishnan Kollamparambil & Adeola Oyenubi, 2022. "Food insecurity and health outcomes during the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa: a longitudinal study," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Weaver, Lesley Jo & Owens, Caroline & Tessema, Fasil & Kebede, Ayantu & Hadley, Craig, 2021. "Unpacking the “black box” of global food insecurity and mental health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    4. Katherine Klee & John P. Bartkowski, 2022. "Minding Mental Health: Clinicians’ Engagement with Youth Suicide Prevention," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-20, May.
    5. Ameye, Hannah & De Weerdt, Joachim & Gibson, John, 2021. "Measuring macro- and micronutrient consumption in multi-purpose surveys: Evidence from a survey experiment in Tanzania," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    6. Tambo, Justice A. & Wünscher, Tobias, 2016. "Beyond adoption: welfare effects of farmer innovation behavior in Ghana," Discussion Papers 235297, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    7. María Priscila Ramos & Estefanía Custodio & Sofía Jiménez & Alfredo J. Mainar-Causapé & Pierre Boulanger & Emanuele Ferrari, 2022. "Do agri-food market incentives improve food security and nutrition indicators? a microsimulation evaluation for Kenya," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(1), pages 209-227, February.
    8. Fabio Salamanca-Buentello & Mary V Seeman & Abdallah S Daar & Ross E G Upshur, 2020. "The ethical, social, and cultural dimensions of screening for mental health in children and adolescents of the developing world," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-25, August.
    9. Smith, Lisa C. & Chavas, Jean-Paul, 1999. "Supply response of West African agricultural households," FCND discussion papers 69, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    10. repec:lic:licosd:42120 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Mayer, Yael & Ilan, Rotem & Slone, Michelle & Lurie, Ido, 2020. "Relations between traumatic life events and mental health of Eritrean asylum-seeking mothers and their children's mental health," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    12. Andaleeb Rahman & Sumit Mishra, 2020. "Does Non-farm Income Affect Food Security? Evidence from India," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(6), pages 1190-1209, June.
    13. Wang, Lin & Ngai, Steven Sek-yum, 2020. "The effects of anonymity, invisibility, asynchrony, and moral disengagement on cyberbullying perpetration among school-aged children in China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    14. Jani Hartikainen & Anna-Maija Poikkeus & Eero A. Haapala & Arja Sääkslahti & Taija Finni, 2021. "Associations of Classroom Design and Classroom-Based Physical Activity with Behavioral and Emotional Engagement among Primary School Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-12, July.
    15. Pareena G. Lawrence & Marakah Mancini, 2008. "La toma de decisiones de los hogares en Venezuela," Revista de Economía Institucional, Universidad Externado de Colombia - Facultad de Economía, vol. 10(18), pages 213-239, January-J.
    16. Seth R. Gitter & Bradford L. Barham, 2008. "Women's Power, Conditional Cash Transfers, and Schooling in Nicaragua," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 22(2), pages 271-290, May.
    17. Samari, Goleen & Catalano, Ralph & Alcalá, Héctor E. & Gemmill, Alison, 2020. "The Muslim Ban and preterm birth: Analysis of U.S. vital statistics data from 2009 to 2018," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    18. Matthias Keese, 2011. "Thrifty Wives and Lavish Husbands? – Bargaining Power and Financial Dicisions in Germany," Ruhr Economic Papers 0258, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    19. Lefgren, Lars J. & Stoddard, Olga B. & Stovall, John E., 2021. "Rationalizing self-defeating behaviors: Theory and evidence," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    20. Xu, Wenxin & Shen, Wei & Wang, Shen, 2021. "Intervention of adolescent' mental health during the outbreak of COVID-19 using aerobic exercise combined with acceptance and commitment therapy," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    21. Luc Dossa & Barbara Rischkowsky & Regina Birner & Clemens Wollny, 2008. "Socio-economic determinants of keeping goats and sheep by rural people in southern Benin," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 25(4), pages 581-592, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:295:y:2022:i:c:s0277953620305232. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.