Introduction to Syndemics (PDF)

This book explains the growing field of syndemic theory and
research, a framework for the analysis and prevention of disease
interactions that addresses underlying social and environmental
causes. This perspective complements single-issue prevention
strategies, which can be effective for discrete problems, but often
are mismatched to the goal of protecting the public's health in its
widest sense.

"Merrill Singer has astutely described why health problems
should not be seen in isolation, but rather in the context of other
diseases and the social and economic inequities that fuel them. An
important read for public health and social scientists."

--Michael H. Merson, director, Duke Global Health
Institute

"Not only does this book provide a persuasive theoretical
biosocial model of syndemics, but it also illustrates the model
with a wide variety of fascinating historical and contemporary
examples."

--Peter J. Brown, professor of Anthropology and Global
Health and director, Center for Health, Culture, and Society, Emory
University

"The concept of syndemics is Singer's most important
contribution to critical medical anthropology as it interfaces with
an ecosocial approach to epidemiology."

--Mark Nichter, Regents Professor, Department of
Anthropology, University of Arizona

"Merrill Singer offers the public the most comprehensive work
ever written on this key area of research and policy making."

--Francisco I. Bastos, chairman of the graduate studies
on epidemiology, Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz

"Exquisitely describes how this new approach is a critical tool
that brings together veterinary, medical, and social sciences to
solve emerging infectious and non-infectious diseases of today's
world."

--Bonnie Buntain, MS, DVM, diplomate, American College
of Veterinary Preventive Medicine

"For too long the great integrative perspectives on modern
biomedicine and public health disease ecology and social
medicine-have remained more or less separate. In this innovative
and provocative book, Merrill Singer develops a valuable synthesis
that will reshape the way we think about health and disease."

--Warwick H. Anderson, MD, PhD, professorial research
fellow, Department of History and Centre for Values, Ethics, and
the Law in Medicine, University of Sidney