Page 40 - IJPS-9-2

International Journal of
Population Studies COVID-19 and intersectionality in Brazil

this limitation merely corroborates the traditional and Funding
indefensible idea that race, gender, and social class are not
objects of care in health systems. This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de
Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil
Another limitation lies in the probable underreporting ([Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education
of cases by facilities connected exclusively with private Personnel - Brazil] CAPES), Finance Code 001, and the
health subsystems. Bearing in mind that white individuals Carlos Chagas Filho Research Support Foundation of
and those belonging to upper socioeconomic strata are the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ). Ricardo de Mattos
the main users of private systems in Brazil and that they Russo Rafael acknowledges funding from the Brazilian
potentially have more access to COVID-19 diagnostic tests, Research Council (National Council for Scientific and
it can be assumed that the effect of race and socioeconomic Technological Development - CNPq). Ricardo de Mattos
status is even greater than observed in this study. Russo Rafael, Mercedes Neto, and Tiago Braga do Espírito
It is important to consider that the present study Santo also acknowledge the funding from the University of
examined a group of individuals at the most severe Rio de Janeiro State (Program for Incentives to Scientific,
stages of respiratory syndrome, creating the expectation Technical and Artistic Production of the Rio de Janeiro
that they would have easier access to diagnostic tests for State University - PROCIENCIA/UERJ).
COVID-19 and other etiological agents. It is also important Conflict of interest
to clarify that the data analyzed in this investigation refer
to the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. It The authors declare they have no competing interests.
is natural to imagine that these findings may be even more
deleterious in scenarios where respiratory syndromes Author contributions
have been milder during the pandemic. Thus, the harmful Conceptualization: Juçara Cezario da Silva, Ricardo de
effects of gender, race, and class inequality are possibly even Mattos Russo Rafael
greater in mild manifestations of respiratory infections Formal analysis: Ricardo de Mattos Russo Rafael
caused by COVID-19, thus requiring attention from health Investigation: All authors
professionals, especially those in nursing homes, during Methodology: Juçara Cezario da Silva, Ricardo de Mattos
respiratory screening in the pandemic context. Russo Rafael
Despite the limitations, the present study represents Writing – original draft: Juçara Cezario da Silva, Ricardo de
a valuable contribution to the field, as it sheds light on Mattos Russo Rafael
the deleterious effects caused by gender, race, and class Writing – review & editing: All authors
disparities. These findings emphasize the urgent need for Ethics approval and consent to participate
policymakers to consider the implications and address
these inequities when formulating public policies. By As the information included in the dataset is systematically
recognizing and addressing these issues, we can work collected by Brazilian healthcare institutions and made
towards creating a more just and equitable society. available in an open, public data format by the Ministry
of Health, the present study, in accordance with national
5. Conclusions regulations on research involving human subjects, did not

This study showed the effects on access to diagnostic require approval from a research ethics committee and did
testing of patients with respiratory syndromes in Brazil. not use terms of informed consent.
It also reasoned about the deleterious effects of structural Consent for publication
racism and the modulating effects of gender and social
class inequalities on individuals’ lives. It also gave grounds Not applicable.
for thinking about how black females and males are more
brutally exposed to the ills of precarious conditions. Availability of data
Moreover, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they The data is available from the Brazilian Ministry of Health’s
have been made even more susceptible to structural Integrated Health Information Platform. Specifically,
disadvantages, in the specific case of this study, difficulty in the data is available at http://plataforma.saude.gov.br/
accessing certain levels and procedures of the health-care coronavirus/dados-abertos/.
system.
References
Acknowledgments
Alberto, C.K., Pintor, J.K., McKenna, R.M., Roby, D.H., &
None. Ortega, A.N. (2019). Racial and ethnic disparities in

Volume 9 Issue 2 (2023) 34 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0865