School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Feb 27;19(5):2786. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19052786.
Canadian South Asians are being economically, socially, politically, and culturally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is currently a gap in the literature on the unique challenges faced by this specific group of individuals. People of color and ethnic minorities are being homogenized in the media and throughout the literature when addressing populations disproportionally impacted by the current situation. This commentary aims to add a new perspective to the current literature by specifically exploring factors that may contribute to the high rates of COVID-19 among South Asian communities in Canada. Another goal is to highlight the importance of providing tailored support and attention for this community and the negative consequences if this is not correctly done. Factors such as overrepresentation in essential work and financial instability are discussed. Pre-existing health conditions among South Asians such as diabetes, hypertension, anxiety, and mood disorder are considered, as well as how the history of these conditions within this population elevates the risk of severe health complications. This commentary presents suggestions for addressing this gap in research, as well as directions for future public health initiatives and policies.
加拿大南亚裔人群正受到 COVID-19 大流行在经济、社会、政治和文化方面的影响。目前，针对这一特定群体所面临的独特挑战的文献存在空白。在媒体和文献中，当涉及到受当前情况不成比例影响的人群时，有色人种和少数族裔被同质化了。本评论旨在通过具体探讨可能导致加拿大南亚裔社区 COVID-19 高发病率的因素，为当前文献增添新视角。另一个目标是强调为这个群体提供有针对性的支持和关注的重要性，如果这一点没有做好，将会产生负面后果。讨论了在必要工作中代表性过高和财务不稳定等因素。还考虑了南亚裔人群中存在的糖尿病、高血压、焦虑和情绪障碍等先前存在的健康状况，以及这些人群中这些状况的历史如何增加严重健康并发症的风险。本评论提出了一些建议，以解决这一研究空白，并为未来的公共卫生倡议和政策指明方向。
