A recent study conducted by researchers at McMaster University and the University of Colorado Boulder has challenged the long-standing belief that healthy individuals were just as likely to die from the flu as those who were already sick or frail. The study, which examined the relationship between socioeconomic status and mortality during the 1918 flu pandemic, analyzed lesions on the bones of 369 victims as well as their age at the time of death. The results of this groundbreaking research shed new light on the factors that influenced mortality during the devastating pandemic.
Contrary to historical accounts, the study found no concrete scientific evidence to support the notion that healthy individuals succumbed to the flu at the same rate as those who were already frail or ill. Instead, the researchers discovered that those who were most vulnerable to dying from the 1918 flu had previously exhibited signs of nutritional, environmental, and social stress. Factors such as poor nutrition, inadequate living conditions, and social disadvantage played a significant role in determining who was more likely to die from the flu.
Lead author of the study, Amanda Wissler, an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at McMaster University, emphasized the interconnectedness of our circumstances – social, cultural, and immunological – throughout history. The findings of this study not only provide valuable insights into the past but also highlight the impact of social backgrounds and cultural factors on the likelihood of survival during a pandemic, as was observed recently during the COVID-19 crisis.
While pre-existing medical conditions continue to be common risk factors for severe illness and death during flu outbreaks or other infectious diseases, the researchers stress that the narrative surrounding the 1918 flu pandemic needs to be reevaluated. The study’s analysis of bone lesions revealed that a larger percentage of individuals who died during the influenza pandemic exhibited signs of pre-existing poor health, such as irregular growth, diminished height, tooth defects, or physical trauma or infection-related lesions. These active lesions were indicative of frailty and a higher probability of death.
Moreover, the study also draws attention to the role of racism and institutional discrimination in exacerbating the life and death impact of preexisting medical conditions during a pandemic. The researchers assert that societal factors and societal disparities can contribute to increased vulnerability to infectious diseases and influence mortality rates within different racial and socioeconomic groups.
In conclusion, this new study challenges the conventional belief that the 1918 flu pandemic took a similar toll on both healthy and frail individuals. By examining bones from the era, researchers have uncovered evidence that suggests individuals with pre-existing poor health were more susceptible to the virus. As the COVID-19 pandemic has recently demonstrated, our social and cultural backgrounds continue to shape our vulnerability to disease. This research serves as a reminder that a complex and multifaceted understanding of historical pandemics is crucial to inform our response to current and future outbreaks.
