The phrase "a widespread problem and" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing an issue that is common or prevalent, often leading into further explanation or examples.
Example: "Climate change is a widespread problem and affects ecosystems around the globe."
Alternatives: "a common issue and" or "a prevalent concern and".
With India's economy growing at roughly 8 percent a year, official corruption has become a widespread problem and a source of public disgust.
Depression in adolescents is a widespread problem and has negative consequences on mental health, including suicidal tendencies.
My thesis got people thinking about their own movement behaviors, it raised awareness of a widespread problem, and it challenged the way we move currently.
After some online research, I learned that this was a widespread problem and that after an outcry, Cisco Systems, the maker of Flip, had offered to swap bad cameras for good ones.
Racing stewards also warned in 2009 that live baiting had to be eradicated, but Hogan told the court he had no evidence it was a widespread problem and he was focused on dealing with serious issues in the organisation's IT systems.
Only in the last few years, as the government turned to the health of its black citizens and conducted its national study, has it been confirmed that obesity is a widespread problem, and one that has already reached alarmingly high levels with no sign of abating.
Presbyopia is actually a widespread problem -- and it affects almost everyone at some point in their lives.
Illegal killing of wildlife is a widespread problem worldwide, and forensic approaches may be necessary when determining the cause of death in wild animals.
A widespread problem Mines and UXO are particularly serious threats in the conflict-affected areas in Yemen's north, where government forces and Al-Houthi rebels fought in six rounds of conflict between 2004 and 2010, and in the south, especially Abyan governorate, where fighting is ongoing between government forces and Ansar Al-Sharia/Al-Qaeda.
Fatigue Crack Growth (FCG) is a widespread problem affecting aerospace and civil structures, nuclear power plants and mechanical equipment.
Biofouling has been recognised as a widespread problem in design and operation of processing equipment, including heat exchangers, cooling water systems and food processing equipment.
