A Novel Integrated Syndemic Climate-Health Framework to Refine Transdisciplinary Processes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
1
Research Centre for Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle & Sport, Dept of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
2
IMS Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
3
Department of Urban & Regional Planning; Centre for Housing & Sustainable Development, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
4
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
5
Universitat Carlemany,, Sant Julià de Lòria, Andorra
6
Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
7
PRICELESS SA - SAMRC/Wits Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science, Wits School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg., South Africa
8
Health of Populations in Transition Research Group (HoPiT), University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
9
Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
10
Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel University, Philadelphia, United States
11
Department of Fundamental Education, Faculty of Education, University of Yaounde I., Yaounde, Cameroon
12
Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR),, University of the West Indies (UWI), Kingston, Jamaica
13
Policy, Legislation and Governance Section,, United Nations Habitat, Nairobi, Kenya
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3712
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
The convergence of climate change and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) create multiple complex interconnected health crises, "syndemic”, that manifests with intensity in urban settings, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The syndemic is often compounded by systemic inequities in marginalized communities. Transdisciplinary (TD) research offers potentially transformative approaches to tackling this complexity. However, few TD studies critically examine context-specific challenges underlying climate change-health linkages. We examined how TD principles can be operationalised to be practically implemented in climate-health research to uncover and address structural determinants underpinning climate change, NCD syndemic hazards in LMICs.
METHODS:
We used a mixed-methods design of quantitative data (syndemic variable counts, stakeholder categories, pre- and post-workshop surveys) with qualitative inductive analysis of stakeholders’ narratives to identify themes on health impacts of syndemic factors, climate events, and adaptive strategies across seven cities in South Africa, Nigeria, Jamaica, Brazil, Kenya, and Cameroon. Syndemic relationships were analyzed through five lenses: structural determinants; climate-health linkages; stakeholder power dynamics; transformative community engagement; and critical reflection on transdisciplinary processes to propose an Integrated Syndemic Climate-Health Framework to refine transdisciplinary processes.
RESULTS:
172 diverse stakeholders comprising of policymakers (34%), academia, researchers, and practitioners (27%), community actors (15%), not-for-profit actors (16%), and commercial actors (8%), prioritized 24 predefined syndemic variables related to climate and natural hazards, built environment and physical activity, and food environment, and contributed 71 context-specific variables. Stakeholders emphasized the need for context-specific strategies and inclusive community engagement to address the health consequences of “syndemic”. A novel Integrated Syndemic Climate-Health Framework (ISCHF) composed of six main components: holistic syndemic analysis, stakeholder-driven co-design, transdisciplinary integration, adaptive implementation strategies, enhanced communication and capacity building, and evaluation and continuous improvement developed from the results.
CONCLUSIONS:
We propose an ISCHF to refine TD processes for enhanced research, localized interventions, and iterative evaluation in LMICs.
The convergence of climate change and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) create multiple complex interconnected health crises, "syndemic”, that manifests with intensity in urban settings, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The syndemic is often compounded by systemic inequities in marginalized communities. Transdisciplinary (TD) research offers potentially transformative approaches to tackling this complexity. However, few TD studies critically examine context-specific challenges underlying climate change-health linkages. We examined how TD principles can be operationalised to be practically implemented in climate-health research to uncover and address structural determinants underpinning climate change, NCD syndemic hazards in LMICs.
METHODS:
We used a mixed-methods design of quantitative data (syndemic variable counts, stakeholder categories, pre- and post-workshop surveys) with qualitative inductive analysis of stakeholders’ narratives to identify themes on health impacts of syndemic factors, climate events, and adaptive strategies across seven cities in South Africa, Nigeria, Jamaica, Brazil, Kenya, and Cameroon. Syndemic relationships were analyzed through five lenses: structural determinants; climate-health linkages; stakeholder power dynamics; transformative community engagement; and critical reflection on transdisciplinary processes to propose an Integrated Syndemic Climate-Health Framework to refine transdisciplinary processes.
RESULTS:
172 diverse stakeholders comprising of policymakers (34%), academia, researchers, and practitioners (27%), community actors (15%), not-for-profit actors (16%), and commercial actors (8%), prioritized 24 predefined syndemic variables related to climate and natural hazards, built environment and physical activity, and food environment, and contributed 71 context-specific variables. Stakeholders emphasized the need for context-specific strategies and inclusive community engagement to address the health consequences of “syndemic”. A novel Integrated Syndemic Climate-Health Framework (ISCHF) composed of six main components: holistic syndemic analysis, stakeholder-driven co-design, transdisciplinary integration, adaptive implementation strategies, enhanced communication and capacity building, and evaluation and continuous improvement developed from the results.
CONCLUSIONS:
We propose an ISCHF to refine TD processes for enhanced research, localized interventions, and iterative evaluation in LMICs.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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