The Pivotal Role of Prevention Science in This Syndemic
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The Pivotal Role of Prevention Science in This Syndemic Diana Fishbein 1,2,3 Accepted: 14 October 2020 # Society for Prevention Research 2020
Abstract Never before has the value of prevention science become so apparent to the populace, particularly in simultaneous fashion across all nations. A general understanding of what prevention represents in true form has lagged well behind the science and, in fact, few outside of the field recognize that there is actually a significant body of research that undergirds preventative practices, programs and policies. The current pandemic and the uneven impacts on underserved and marginalized populations has highlighted the need for proactive approaches to prevent underlying conditions that increase risk for infection, worsen the wide ranging harms from the virus, and significantly exacerbate disparities that characterize many nations. To ensure uptake of the science by end-users (e.g., community stakeholders, practitioners, policymakers), who operate the levers that determine whether resources and services are distributed equitably across societies’ sectors, prevention scientists have a unique and powerful role to play. This commentary on the special issue, focused on the “culture of prevention,” considers the broader issues covered in the set of original articles in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Toward that end, I also outline two interrelated “calls to action” for prevention scientists. The first call is to concertedly apply a race equity lens to all aspects of our research, a need that is particularly critical given that our field is inherently actionable and, as such, evidence amassed has potential to equalize the playing field for disadvantaged and marginalized groups. The second acknowledges the need for prevention scientists to learn how to effectively communicate scientific knowledge to the public and policymakers to compellingly advocate for reforms guided by the science. A powerful, research-backed collective advocacy can effectively sway action of governing bodies in addressing disparities and inequities for constituents who have no voice.
At no time in history has the value of prevention science become so evident to the world than in the midst of a syndemic (e.g., multiple crises) occurring simultaneously across all nations. The COVID-19 crisis has drawn attention to the dire need for a proactive, not reactive, approach to prevent the spread of the virus and its devastating health and economic consequences. The crisis has also highlighted ways in which Black and Brown people in the USA and various other groups in other nations have been under-served, under-
* Diana Fishbein [email protected] 1
National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives (NPSC) http://www.npscoalition.org/
2
Translational Neuro-Prevention Research, FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina, 105 Smith Level Road, Room 307, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
3
Program on Translational Research on Adversity and Neurodevelopment (P-TRAN), Edna Bennett Pierce Preve
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