The Unequal Health and Economic Burden of Pandemics on the Poor

Abstract

The ease of spread of COVID-19 has posed a great challenge for governments, public health officials, and healthcare workers around the world. Leaders and officials need to make decisions that protect the health and well-being of their citizens, while balancing their rights as citizens and the stability of their economies. This study conducts a review of literature on COVID-19, the Spanish Flu, and the Swine Flu in an effort to understand the economic and health impacts of pandemics. Results show a clear trend suggesting the poor bear a greater burden of the impact of pandemics in regards to economic and health impacts. Further analysis suggests that these inequities are not limited to the United States healthcare system and remain apparent in national single-payer healthcare systems, like in the United Kingdom. To prevent similar disparities in future pandemics, governments should attempt to decrease inequality present in baseline health and economic measures.