Research summary
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated just how important it is for every country to be prepared for a health crisis. Yet current pandemic preparedness plans overlook the health conditions and issues people face that could increase the risk of adverse outcomes. By applying new interdisciplinary approaches, we can both mitigate pandemic impacts and improve responsiveness and planning.
As Canada Research Chair in Interdisciplinary Research for Pandemic Preparedness, Dr. Zahid Butt is using innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to enhance pandemic preparedness. He and his research team are applying a syndemic framework (which focuses on the adverse interactions between diseases and social conditions) that incorporates COVID-19 as a proof of concept. They are also employing digital data to address misinformation and enhance disease surveillance. Lastly, they are using disease mapping and spatial modelling to examine and measure interactions between diseases, disease syndemics, and social and structural factors.