Long COVID and Health Inequities: The Role of Primary Care, 2021, Berger, Greenhalgh et al

[Andy]

Abstract

Policy Points

• An estimated 700,000 people in the United States have “long COVID,” that is, symptoms of COVID‐19 persisting beyond three weeks.
• COVID‐19 and its long‐term sequelae are strongly influenced by social determinants such as poverty and by structural inequalities such as racism and discrimination.
• Primary care providers are in a unique position to provide and coordinate care for vulnerable patients with long COVID.
• Policy measures should include strengthening primary care, optimizing data quality, and addressing the multiple nested domains of inequity.

Open access, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1468-0009.12505

 

[Invisible Woman]

Policy measures should include strengthening primary care, optimizing data quality, and addressing the multiple nested domains of inequity.

And preferably not making them worse, just for a change.

 

[Trish]

addressing the multiple nested domains of inequity.

Whatever that means.

I keep reading inequity as iniquity, which in the case of ME/CFS, and for some now with longCovid, seems apt:

Iniquity and inequity are both etymologically related to the Latin word for "equal" but entered English through different means. Iniquity is the older word usually referring to injustice, wickedness, or sin. ... Inequity refers to a lack of equality or fairness, and is often used in social and economic contexts.

 

[rvallee]

Primary care providers are in a unique position to provide and coordinate care for vulnerable patients with long COVID.

Uh, no. Primary care has failed miserably at dealing with chronic illness for decades, absolute total failure. So much that it is completely oblivious to a problem it sees often, unable to connect dots that are basically touching each other.

Nope nope nope. Go away Greenhalgh, stop making this about what you want.