Risk groups
|
People with “risky” sexual practices Stigmatizing burden at the beginning of the pandemic. 4Hs: Hemophiliacs, homosexuals, heroin addicts and Haitians. |
Universal susceptibility. |
Universal susceptibility. |
People receiving contaminated blood (transfusion, syringes). |
Adults older than 65, pregnant women, children, people with asthma. |
Comorbidities: hypertension, diabetes, obesity, people with HIV/AIDS, people with asthma, smokers. |
Heterosexual women. |
Comorbidity: Heart and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cancer, children with neurological conditions. |
Greater biological vulnerability: older adults, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases. |
Population risk perception
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Link and stigma against gay, transgender, sex workers communities, injection drug users, etc. |
Disbelief in the face of illness, theory of government conspiracy to generate social control and to obtain economic profit(7). |
Heterogeneity: denial of disease, risk factors, and transmission mechanisms; disbelief in protective measures (believed to be exaggerated). Others do understand and protect themselves. |
Safe sex with a condom. |
Who are essential (poor and vulnerable), and nonessential (privileged)? |
Related social vulnerability
|
People in a situation of social and economic inequity (women, sex workers, migrants). |
People in a situation of social inequity who could not suspend their subsistence economic activities. |
Health personnel. |
People in a situation of social inequity who could not suspend their subsistence economic activities. |
People without access to information. |
People without access to health services. |
No schooling. |
People without access to health services. |
Afro-descendant, Latin(3) population, native peoples. |
In nursing homes, prisons. |
People without schooling; non-Spanish speakers. |
Food processor workers(3). |
Dependent elderly. |
“Signs” of illness
|
Kaposi’s sarcoma, extreme thinness. |
The Flu or common cold = influenza. |
Invisible, asymptomatic disease, hospital isolation of the sick. |
Social reaction
|
Fear, stigmatization and rejection of infected people and groups identified as “of risk”. |
Fear. |
Fear and stigma (Asian population). |
Acceptance of confinement measures. |
Irrational rejection of health personnel perceived almost as “vectors”. |
On the international scene, discrimination against Mexicans for Mexico being the epicenter of the pandemic(9). |
Uncertainty about the return to “normality” (schools, work, and social life). |
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Rejection of prolonged confinement (individual right). |
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Non-adherence to prevention measures. |
Popular explanation of disease: search for culprits
|
Punishment linked to religiosity towards groups identified as “of risk” (plagued, sinners). |
Punishment linked to religiosity towards groups identified as “at risk”(10). |
“I don’t see it, it doesn’t exist, I don’t catch it” (COVID-19 youth parties). |
Guilt of those who over-exploit natural resources. |
Rich travelers who “imported” the virus from other countries. |
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Stigmatization of the Asian population (China due to the origin of the virus). |
Risk communication
|
Innovative prevention campaigns targeting specific groups (e.g. adolescents, men who have sex with men). |
Information by official means. |
Daily informative conferences by the government health administration. |
Information platforms on pandemics (cases, deaths, tests, etc.). |
Another level of information comes from the press and social media with false news to generate confusion in public opinion: infodemic, fake news. |
Campaign acceptance. |
Political use of the disease. Ideological position on the ineffectiveness of the planning and operation of preventive strategy and care. |
Accountability: questioning of the whole care and prevention process. |
Prevention campaigns aimed at the general population. |