Scientific Sessions

Socioeconomic factors play a crucial role in shaping the risk, transmission, and outcomes of infectious diseases worldwide. Poverty, limited access to healthcare, inadequate housing, and poor sanitation create environments where pathogens can spread rapidly. In low-income communities, overcrowded living spaces facilitate person-to-person transmission of airborne diseases like tuberculosis, while lack of clean water and sanitation infrastructure contributes to the prevalence of waterborne illnesses such as cholera and typhoid. Malnutrition, often linked to poverty, weakens the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to infections and hindering recovery. Education level also significantly influences health outcomes—populations with limited health literacy may lack awareness of preventive measures such as vaccination, hygiene practices, or safe food handling. Furthermore, economic instability can reduce access to timely medical care, diagnostics, and treatment, exacerbating the severity and spread of infections.

The impact of socioeconomic determinants is particularly evident in global health disparities, where marginalized populations bear a disproportionate burden of infectious diseases. Migrant workers, refugees, and residents of informal settlements often face barriers to healthcare services due to legal status, language differences, or financial constraints. In addition, occupational exposure in certain low-wage jobs—such as agriculture, mining, or waste management—can increase the risk of contact with infectious agents. Limited investment in public health infrastructure in economically disadvantaged regions also hampers disease surveillance, outbreak response, and vaccination campaigns. These inequalities are further amplified during epidemics and pandemics, as seen during the COVID-19 crisis, where lower-income groups experienced higher infection rates and mortality due to crowded housing, essential worker roles, and limited healthcare access. Addressing the socioeconomic determinants of infectious diseases requires a comprehensive approach that integrates poverty reduction, universal healthcare access, improved living conditions, education, and targeted public health interventions. By reducing these systemic inequalities, the global community can make significant progress in controlling the spread of infectious diseases and improving population health outcomes.