Applying a biosocial perspective to address childhood diarrhea-related morbidity and mortality

Abstract

Despite calls for greater attention to the relationship between water access and disease, diarrhea and related malnutrition remains a leading cause of morbidity in children under 5 years. Children are especially vulnerable given their inability to mount an active immune response to pathogen exposure. Social conditions, including the long-term effects of poverty - reduced nutrition, poor hygiene and sanitation, and diminished home environments - further exacerbate the biological limitations. This chapter offers a syndemic perspective on childhood diarrhearelated malnutrition, specifically examining the consequential interactions between pathogens, as well as pathogenic interactions with other health and social conditions that are disproportionately common among disparity populations. This perspective offers a potential for enriching and extending policy discussions and planning, addressing malnutrition-related diarrheal illness and other health challenges of impoverished populations.