Does the Prosperity of a Country Play a Role in COVID-19 Outcomes?

• Published in: Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness 2022-02, Vol.16 (1), p.177-186
• Main Authors: Khorram-Manesh, Amir, Carlström, Eric, Hertelendy, Attila J., Goniewicz, Krzysztof, Casady, Carter B., Burkle, Frederick M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anestesi och intensivvård; Anesthesiology and Intensive Care; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi; Humans; Observational studies; Original Research; Pandemics; Pandemics - prevention & control; Physical Distancing; Prosperity; Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology; SARS-CoV-2; Triage
• ISSN: 1935-7893; 1938-744X; 1938-744X
• DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2020.304

This study aims to clarify the association between prosperity and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outcomes and its impact on the future management of pandemics. This is an observational study using information from 2 online registries. The numbers of infected individuals and deaths and the prosperity rank of each country were obtained from worldometer.info and the Legatum Institute's Prosperity Index, respectively. There is a combination of countries with high and low prosperity on the list of COVID-19-infected countries. The risk of the virus pandemic seems to be more extensive in countries with high prosperity. A Spearman's rho test confirmed a significant correlation between prosperity, the number of COVID-19 cases, and the number of deaths at the 99% level. New emerging pandemics affect all nations. In order to increase the likelihood of successfully managing future events, it is important to consider preexisting health security, valid population-based management approaches, medical decision-making, communication, continuous assessment, triage, treatment, early and complete physical distancing strategies, and logistics. These elements cannot be taught on-site and on occasion. There is a need for innovative and regular educational activities for all stakeholders committed to safeguarding our future defense systems concerning diagnostic, protection, treatment, and rehabilitation in pandemics, as well as other emergencies.