The Cultural Aspects of COVID-19
Introduction
At the University of Florida pre-collegiate biomedical research program, my team of Junior and Senior friends participated in an epidemiological activity that simulated the AIDS outbreak in sub-Saharan Africa. In groups of two, we acted like scientists who determined whether the patient we had been assigned had the disease with the overall goal of figuring out which city the disease had originated in. We ran sporadically about the room, figuring out whose patient was related to whose, filling in contraction dates, and determining patient travel locations until we finally figured out where the outbreak began. Completing this miniature version of what actual epidemiologists had done, combined with the fact that we now have four years' worth of data on the COVID-19 epidemic, made me curious about how different cultures reacted to the virus. So, this month's post is about how varying cultural groups responded to the virus amongst a flurry of social controversy on which choices were safest for their respective populations.
The Big Picture
Governments worldwide responded in many ways at the onset of the COVID-19 breakout in March 2020. In a study by the University of Michigan, professors determined that the countries that responded "correctly" (South Korea, Vietnam, New Zealand, and Denmark) had the quickest public health responses. They quickly called for nanopharmaceutical interventions such as mask-wearing, shutting down populated public places, and implementing testing to stop the virus from spreading. Countries with "wrong" responses to the virus—the United States, Brazil, and Russia—had varying retorts. The U.S. and Brazil had significant economic and social stimuli but caused state-by-state chaos in the absence of public health policy. India made the opposite mistake, telling all citizens to stay home, but caused mass starvation due to a shutdown of employment.
Upon researching various countries' responses to the COVID-19 virus, I realized that one particular cultural aspect—the system of government—significantly affected the initial reaction of populations towards the disease. Some people in the United States adopted denialist opinions based on those of their political party, while citizens of authoritarian governments had no say.
The Little Details
Looking into the U.S. from the perspective of medical anthropology, it is evident that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted social and racial discrimination in the public health sector. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mortality and morbidity rates were higher amongst Black, Latinx, Asian, and Pacific Islander populations. These ethnic disparities can be attributed to socioeconomic status, poor living conditions, and former medical conditions that amplify the risks of COVID-19. Communities with low household incomes, inadequate education, and poor health systems were at the greatest risk, often due to unsafe work to maintain financial security.
Studies by the NIH were also conducted in other countries on a local level to determine how traditional and folk medicine was used by different cultures to combat the virus. In Iran, pharmacological and non-pharmacological folk medicine was utilized. Thyme spray was used as a disinfectant, and chamomile tea was often drunk to keep the throat moist after citizens had heard they needed to clean surfaces regularly and avoid dry throats to stop the contraction of the disease. In Ethiopia, almost half of the households surveyed utilized traditional medicines to prevent and treat COVID-19. Like Iranians, Ethiopians primarily used the oral route of administration, consuming garlic, ginger, lemon, garden cress, and "Damakase" (essential oil derived from Ocimum Lamiifolium leaves). It was interesting to read about each individual's positive opinions on their own cultures' medicinal methods and how these varied from country to country. In comparing these countries to my own, I could see an American citizen vehemently opposing these methods. In contrast, someone from Iran or Ethiopia might feel the same about American medicine.
Conclusion
Combining my project at UF with the research conducted in past blog posts I've written inspired me to study the anthropological aspects of the COVID-19 virus. Since I often combine culture with the mental health sector, I was surprised to find many of the same situations occurring in the medical field of epidemiology. Time and time again, social and racial disparities emerge as one of the most prominent issues. With this being said, I plan to conduct further research on ethical considerations, strategies for advanced healthcare delivery, and how to enhance small-scale and large-scale community engagement that will lead to better health outcomes for all people.