1
|
Nanaw J, Sherchan JS, Fernandez JR, Strassle PD, Powell W, Forde AT. Racial/ethnic differences in the associations between trust in the U.S. healthcare system and willingness to test for and vaccinate against COVID-19. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1084. [PMID: 38641573 PMCID: PMC11027359 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18526-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trust in the healthcare system may impact adherence to recommended healthcare practices, including willingness to test for and vaccinate against COVID-19. This study examined racial/ethnic differences in the associations between trust in the U.S. healthcare system and willingness to test for and vaccinate against COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic. METHODS This cross-sectional study used data from the REACH-US study, a nationally representative online survey conducted among a diverse sample of U.S. adults from January 26, 2021-March 3, 2021 (N = 5,121). Multivariable logistic regression estimated the associations between trust in the U.S. healthcare system (measured as "Always", "Most of the time", "Sometimes/Almost Never", and "Never") and willingness to test for COVID-19, and willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Racial/ethnic differences in these associations were examined using interaction terms and multigroup analyses. RESULTS Always trusting the U.S. healthcare system was highest among Hispanic/Latino Spanish Language Preference (24.9%) and Asian (16.7%) adults and lowest among Multiracial (8.7%) and Black/African American (10.7%) adults. Always trusting the U.S. healthcare system, compared to never, was associated with greater willingness to test for COVID-19 (AOR: 3.20, 95% CI: 2.38-4.30) and greater willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine (AOR: 2.68, 95% CI: 1.97-3.65). CONCLUSIONS Trust in the U.S. healthcare system was associated with greater willingness to test for COVID-19 and receive the COVID-19 vaccine, however, trust in the U.S. healthcare system was lower among most marginalized racial/ethnic groups. Efforts to establish a more equitable healthcare system that increases trust may encourage COVID-19 preventive behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judy Nanaw
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Juliana S Sherchan
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jessica R Fernandez
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Paula D Strassle
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Allana T Forde
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Olanlesi-Aliu A, Kemei J, Alaazi D, Tunde-Byass M, Renzaho A, Sekyi-Out A, Mullings DV, Osei-Tutu K, Salami B. COVID-19 among Black people in Canada: a scoping review. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can 2024; 44:112-125. [PMID: 38501682 DOI: 10.24095/hpcdp.44.3.05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated health inequities worldwide. Research conducted in Canada shows that Black populations were disproportionately exposed to COVID-19 and more likely than other ethnoracial groups to be infected and hospitalized. This scoping review sought to map out the nature and extent of current research on COVID-19 among Black people in Canada. METHODS Following a five-stage methodological framework for conducting scoping reviews, studies exploring the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black people in Canada, published up to May 2023, were retrieved through a systematic search of seven databases. Of 457 identified records, 124 duplicates and 279 additional records were excluded after title and abstract screening. Of the remaining 54 articles, 39 were excluded after full-text screening; 2 articles were manually picked from the reference lists of the included articles. In total, 17 articles were included in this review. RESULTS Our review found higher rates of COVID-19 infections and lower rates of COVID-19 screening and vaccine uptake among Black Canadians due to pre-COVID-19 experiences of institutional and structural racism, health inequities and a mistrust of health care professionals that further impeded access to health care. Misinformation about COVID-19 exacerbated mental health issues among Black Canadians. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest the need to address social inequities experienced by Black Canadians, particularly those related to unequal access to employment and health care. Collecting race-based data on COVID-19 could inform policy formulation to address racial discrimination in access to health care, quality housing and employment, resolve inequities and improve the health and well-being of Black people in Canada.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Janet Kemei
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dominic Alaazi
- Health and Immigration Policies and Practices Research Program (HIPP), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Modupe Tunde-Byass
- Black Physicians of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andre Renzaho
- Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Campbell Town Campus, Western Sydney University, Australia
| | | | - Delores V Mullings
- School of Social Work, Memorial University, St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Kannin Osei-Tutu
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Bukola Salami
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Health and Immigration Policies and Practices Research Program (HIPP), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bharadwaj M, Langbein B, Labban M, Lipsitz SR, Licurse AM, Trinh QD. Patterns and Disparities in Telehealth Usage During the COVID-19 Pandemic Across Surgical Specialties. Telemed J E Health 2024; 30:866-873. [PMID: 37699226 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2022.0332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated telehealth usage. This study aims to understand the impact of sociodemographic factors on telehealth usage during COVID-19 among surgical specialties. Methods: Our data contain surgical outpatient visits at an academic center from five periods between 2019 and 2020. A difference-in-differences regression model was used to examine the effect of exposure variables on virtual visit proportions between prepandemic and postpandemic time periods. Results: Compared with white patients, non-Medicare beneficiaries, and English-proficient patients, the rate of uptake in telehealth visits from prepandemic to postpandemic periods was lower for black patients, Medicare beneficiaries, and non-English-speaking patients, respectively. Surgical subspecialties saw varied usage of telehealth. A strong preference for phone visits by black patients, Medicare beneficiaries, and non-English-speaking patients existed. Conclusion: Phone visits are an important resource for marginalized communities. Understanding disparities in telemedicine usage may inform policy that could alleviate inequities in health care access.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maheetha Bharadwaj
- Division of Urological Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bjoern Langbein
- Division of Urological Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Muhieddine Labban
- Division of Urological Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Surgery and Public Health, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stuart R Lipsitz
- Division of Urological Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Surgery and Public Health, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Adam M Licurse
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Quoc-Dien Trinh
- Division of Urological Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Surgery and Public Health, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Araújo MVRD, Pereira-Borges RC. Racism, health and pandemic: a narrative review of the relationship between black population and COVID-19 events in 2020. Cien Saude Colet 2024; 29:e11072023. [PMID: 38451653 DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232024293.11072023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze how scientific publications described and interpreted findings about the relationship between the Black population and events linked to COVID-19 in 2020. Narrative review with systematic search, in which a survey was conducted on articles published in 2020 in the Scopus, Medline/PubMed, and Web of Science databases. Initially, 665 articles were found, and after reading and applying the eligible criteria, the final number of 45 articles was reached. Epidemiological, observational studies, secondary data and developed in the United States predominated. Four groupings and respective findings emerged from the synthesis of information extracted: Main events in the Black population - high number of deaths and mortality rate; Direct relationships - poor health, housing, and work conditions; Intermediate relationships - low income and anti-Black prejudice; Comprehensive relationships - structural racism and social determinants of health. The identification of racial health disparities is an important finding about the dynamics of the pandemic among the Black population. However, multicausal explanations were limited. It is necessary to mobilize critical theoretical resources from ethnic and health studies to qualify research in order to support global actions to combat the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in this group.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Vinícius Ribeiro de Araújo
- Instituto Multidisciplinar de Reabilitação e Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia. R. Padre Feijó 312, casas 47 e 49, Canela. 40.110-170 Salvador BA Brasil.
| | - Ruan Carlos Pereira-Borges
- Programa de Residência Multiprofissional Hospital Metropolitano Odilon Behrens, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Belo Horizonte. Belo Horizonte MG Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ali S, Cella E, Johnston C, Rojas AC, Brown AN, Deichen M, Azarian T. Environmental surface monitoring as a noninvasive method for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in community settings: Lessons from a university campus study. Sci Total Environ 2024; 912:169456. [PMID: 38123097 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Environmental testing of high-touch objects is a potential noninvasive approach for monitoring population-level trends of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses within a defined setting. We aimed to determine the association between SARS-CoV-2 contamination on high-touch environmental surfaces, community level case incidence, and university student health data. Environmental swabs were collected from January 2022 to November 2022 from high-touch objects and surfaces from five locations on a large university campus in Florida, USA. RT-qPCR was used to detect and quantify viral RNA, and a subset of positive samples was analyzed by viral genome sequencing to identify circulating lineages. During the study period, we detected SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA on 90.7 % of 162 tested samples. Levels of environmental viral RNA correlated with trends in community-level activity and case reports from the student health center. A significant positive correlation was observed between the estimated viral gene copy number in environmental samples and the weekly confirmed cases at the university. Viral sequencing data from environmental samples identified lineages concurrently circulating in the local community and state based on genomic surveillance data. Further, we detected emerging variants in environmental samples prior to their identification by clinical genomic surveillance. Our results demonstrate the utility of viral monitoring on high-touch environmental surfaces for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance at a community level. In communities with delayed or limited testing facilities, immediate environmental surface testing may considerably inform epidemic dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sobur Ali
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Eleonora Cella
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Catherine Johnston
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Ana C Rojas
- Institute for Therapeutic Innovation, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
| | - Ashley N Brown
- Institute for Therapeutic Innovation, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
| | - Michael Deichen
- Student Health Services, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Taj Azarian
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Khalifeh Z, Saluja S, Lam CN, Kaplan C. Disparities in access to COVID-19 testing in Los Angeles County. Prev Med Rep 2024; 37:102567. [PMID: 38205170 PMCID: PMC10776643 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 has disparately impacted low-income persons and racial and ethnic minorities-primarily Black and Hispanic populations. Our objective is to quantify disparities in access to COVID-19 testing and identify barriers to testing during the winter 2020-2021 surge in COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County. An online survey was administered between December 2020 and January 2021 through which respondents were asked about their use of COVID testing and the barriers to testing they experienced. Our sample of 1,984 was reweighted to match the demographics of Los Angeles County. Despite similar testing rates to White residents, Hispanic residents were more likely to report testing positive. Persons with an annual income of $20,000 or less were less likely to receive a test than those with an income of $100,000 or more. Barriers to testing were more prevalent among racial/ethnic minorities and low-income persons. White respondents and high-income persons were more likely to report the ability to take time off work to await test results. Rates of testing were not commensurate with the rates of infection across racial/ethnic groups, which may be explained by higher rates of reported barriers to testing among Black and Hispanic residents. These findings may inform policies that address structural barriers to testing that disproportionately impact racial/ethnic minorities and low-income populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zain Khalifeh
- University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sonali Saluja
- Gehr Center for Health Systems Science and Innovation, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chun Nok Lam
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cameron Kaplan
- Gehr Center for Health Systems Science and Innovation, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bergmans RS, Chambers-Peeple K, Yu C, Xiao LZ, Wegryn-Jones R, Martin A, Dell'Imperio S, Aboul-Hassan D, Williams DA, Clauw DJ, DeJonckheere M. 'I'm still here, I'm alive and breathing': The experience of Black Americans with long COVID. J Clin Nurs 2024; 33:162-177. [PMID: 37140186 PMCID: PMC10624641 DOI: 10.1111/jocn.16733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES In this study, we aimed to characterize the impact of long COVID on quality of life and approaches to symptom management among Black American adults. BACKGROUND As a novel condition, qualitative evidence concerning long COVID symptoms and their impact on quality of life can inform the refinement of diagnostic criteria and care plans. However, the underrepresentation of Black Americans in long COVID research is a barrier to achieving equitable care for all long COVID patients. DESIGN We employed an interpretive description study design. METHODS We recruited a convenience sample of 15 Black American adults with long COVID. We analysed the anonymized transcripts from race-concordant, semi-structured interviews using an inductive, thematic analysis approach. We followed the SRQR reporting guidelines. RESULTS We identified four themes: (1) The impact of long COVID symptoms on personal identity and pre-existing conditions; (2) Self-management strategies for long COVID symptoms; (3) Social determinants of health and symptom management; and (4) Effects on interpersonal relationships. CONCLUSION Findings demonstrate the comprehensive ramifications of long COVID on the lives of Black American adults. Results also articulate how pre-existing conditions, social risk factors, distrust due to systemic racism, and the nature of interpersonal relationships can complicate symptom management. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Care approaches that support access to and implementation of integrative therapies may be best suited to meet the needs of long COVID patients. Clinicians should also prioritize eliminating patient exposure to discrimination, implicit bias, and microaggressions. This is of particular concern for long COVID patients who have symptoms that are difficult to objectively quantify, such as pain and fatigue. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION While patient perspectives and experiences were the focus of this study, patients were not involved with the design or conduct of the study, data analysis or interpretation, or writing the manuscript.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel S Bergmans
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Christine Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Lillian Z Xiao
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Riley Wegryn-Jones
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Allie Martin
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Deena Aboul-Hassan
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - David A Williams
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Daniel J Clauw
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zha L, MacLeod S, Love T, Fortuna RJ, Zhang YV. Longitudinal impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the utilization of hemoglobin A1c testing in outpatients. Clin Chim Acta 2024; 552:117686. [PMID: 38042461 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2023.117686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns arose about disparate access to health care and laboratory testing. There is limited information about the pandemic's impact on the frequency of diabetic laboratory testing across demographic subgroups (e.g., sex, age over 65 y, and race). METHODS This retrospective study examined outpatient hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing in a large academic medical center in Upstate New York between March 2019 and March 2021. Multivariate Poisson regression models were used to evaluate the pandemic's effects on HbA1c utilization. RESULTS Over 190,000 HbA1c results from predominately white (76.1 %) and older (mean age, 60.6 y) outpatients were analyzed. Compared to pre-pandemic time period, the average number of HbA1c tests per patient during COVID time period experienced a small, though significant, drop (1.3 to 1.2; p < 0.001) on aggregate and in outpatients, males, females, and seniors. The modest reduction was not significant by race except for the white seniors (p < 0.001). However, the testing frequency remained within recommendations from the American Diabetes Association for monitoring prediabetic patients and patients with stable glycemic control. CONCLUSION Given the propensity for healthcare disruptions to widen disparities, it is reassuring that we did not observe a worsening of disparities in rates of HbA1c testing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Zha
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY, United States; Present Address: Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sara MacLeod
- Division of Endocrinology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Tanzy Love
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester, 265 Crittenden Boulevard, CU 420630, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Robert J Fortuna
- Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Y Victoria Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Shi F, Zhang J, Yang X, Gao H, Chen S, Weissman S, Olatosi B, Li X. COVID-19 Testing Among People with HIV: A Population Level Analysis Based on Statewide Data in South Carolina. AIDS Behav 2023:10.1007/s10461-023-04244-4. [PMID: 38109020 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-023-04244-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
People with HIV (PWH) are at an elevated risk of developing severe COVID-19 outcomes because of compromised immunity and more comorbidities. However, existing literature suggests a lower rate of COVID-testing among PWH. This study aimed to explore the temporal trend of county-level COVID-19 testing rate and multi-level predictors of COVID-19 ever-testing among PWH in South Carolina (SC). Leveraging linked statewide HIV and COVID-19 datasets, we defined the study population as all adult (18 + years) PWH who were alive on March 2020 and living in SC. PWH with a COVID-19 testing record between March 2020 and October 2021 were defined as COVID-19 ever-testers. Logistic regression and generalized mixed models were used to investigate the association of PWH's demographic profile, HIV clinical characteristics (e.g., CD4 count, viral load), comorbidities, and social factors with COVID-19 testing among PWH. Among 15,660 adult PWH, 8,005 (51.12%) had ever tested for COVID-19 during the study period (March 2020-October 2021). PWH with older age, being male, and Hispanics were less likely to take COVID-19 testing, while men who have sex with men or injection drug users were more likely to take COVID-19 testing. PWH with higher recent viral load (10,000-100,000 copies/ml vs. <200 copies/ml: adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.64, 95%CI: 0.55-0.75) and lower CD4 counts (> 350 cells/mm3 vs. <200 cells/mm3: AOR: 1.25, 95%CI: 1.09-1.45) had lower odds for COVID-19 testing. Additionally, PWH with lower comorbidity burden and those living in rural areas were less likely to be tested for COVID-19. Differences in COVID-19 test-seeking behaviors were observed among PWH in the current study, which could help provide empirical evidence to inform the prioritization of further disease monitoring and targeted intervention. More efforts on building effective surveillance and screening systems are needed to allow early case detection and curbing disease transmission among older, male, Hispanic, and immune-suppressed PWH, especially in rural areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fanghui Shi
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US.
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, US.
- Big Data Health Science Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US.
| | - Jiajia Zhang
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
- Big Data Health Science Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
| | - Xueying Yang
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, US
- Big Data Health Science Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
| | - Haoyuan Gao
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
- Big Data Health Science Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
| | - Shujie Chen
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
- Big Data Health Science Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
| | - Sharon Weissman
- Big Data Health Science Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
- School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
| | - Bankole Olatosi
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
- Big Data Health Science Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
- Department of Health Services, Policy, and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Xiaoming Li
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, US
- Big Data Health Science Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Giardiello D, Melotti R, Barbieri G, Gögele M, Weichenberger CX, Foco L, Bottigliengo D, Barin L, Lundin R, Pramstaller PP, Pattaro C. Determinants of SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal testing in a rural community sample susceptible of first infection: the CHRIS COVID-19 study. Pathog Glob Health 2023; 117:744-753. [PMID: 36992656 PMCID: PMC10614704 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2023.2191232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
To characterize COVID-19 epidemiology, numerous population-based studies have been undertaken to model the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Less is known about what may drive the probability to undergo testing. Understanding how much testing is driven by contextual or individual conditions is important to delineate the role of individual behavior and to shape public health interventions and resource allocation. In the Val Venosta/Vinschgau district (South Tyrol, Italy), we conducted a population-representative longitudinal study on 697 individuals susceptible to first infection who completed 4,512 repeated online questionnaires at four-week intervals between September 2020 and May 2021. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were fitted to investigate associations of self-reported SARS-CoV-2 testing with individual characteristics (social, demographic, and biological) and contextual determinants. Testing was associated with month of reporting, reflecting the timing of both the pandemic intensity and public health interventions, COVID-19-related symptoms (odds ratio, OR:8.26; 95% confidence interval, CI:6.04-11.31), contacts with infected individuals within home (OR:7.47, 95%CI:3.81-14.62) or outside home (OR:9.87, 95%CI:5.78-16.85), and being retired (OR:0.50, 95%CI:0.34-0.73). Symptoms and next within- and outside-home contacts were the leading determinants of swab testing predisposition in the most acute phase of the pandemics. Testing was not associated with age, sex, education, comorbidities, or lifestyle factors. In the study area, contextual determinants reflecting the course of the pandemic were predominant compared to individual sociodemographic characteristics in explaining the SARS-CoV-2 probability of testing. Decision makers should evaluate whether the intended target groups were correctly prioritized by the testing campaign.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Giardiello
- Eurac Research, Institute for Biomedicine (affiliated to the University of Lübeck), Bolzano, Italy
| | - Roberto Melotti
- Eurac Research, Institute for Biomedicine (affiliated to the University of Lübeck), Bolzano, Italy
| | - Giulia Barbieri
- Eurac Research, Institute for Biomedicine (affiliated to the University of Lübeck), Bolzano, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Martin Gögele
- Eurac Research, Institute for Biomedicine (affiliated to the University of Lübeck), Bolzano, Italy
| | | | - Luisa Foco
- Eurac Research, Institute for Biomedicine (affiliated to the University of Lübeck), Bolzano, Italy
| | - Daniele Bottigliengo
- Eurac Research, Institute for Biomedicine (affiliated to the University of Lübeck), Bolzano, Italy
| | - Laura Barin
- Eurac Research, Institute for Biomedicine (affiliated to the University of Lübeck), Bolzano, Italy
| | - Rebecca Lundin
- Eurac Research, Institute for Biomedicine (affiliated to the University of Lübeck), Bolzano, Italy
| | - Peter P. Pramstaller
- Eurac Research, Institute for Biomedicine (affiliated to the University of Lübeck), Bolzano, Italy
- Department of Neurology, General Central Hospital, Bolzano, Italy
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Cristian Pattaro
- Eurac Research, Institute for Biomedicine (affiliated to the University of Lübeck), Bolzano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Abdi N, Ebengho S, Mohamed N, Scallon A, Mohamed A, Ahmed A, Abdi A, Ahmed R, Mohamed F, Ibrahim A, Ali A, West KM, Ronen K. Early Pandemic Access to COVID-19 Testing in the Somali Community in King County, Washington, USA: a Mixed-Methods Evaluation. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023; 10:2930-2943. [PMID: 36478269 PMCID: PMC9734463 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-022-01470-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 infection and outcomes have been documented, but few studies have examined disparities in access to testing. METHODS We conducted a mixed methods study of access to COVID-19 testing in the Somali immigrant community in King County, Washington, USA, early during the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2020-February 2021, we conducted quantitative surveys in a convenience sample (n = 528) of individuals who had accessed PCR testing, recruited at King County testing sites near Somali population centers and through social media outreach in the Somali community. We compared self-identified Somali and non-Somali responses using Chi-square and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. We also conducted three Somali-language focus groups (n = 26) by video conference to explore Somali experiences with COVID-19 testing, and in-depth interviews with King County-based policymakers and healthcare workers (n = 13) recruited through the research team's professional network to represent key demographics and roles. Data were analyzed using qualitative rapid analysis to explore the county's COVID-19 testing landscape. RESULTS Among 420 survey respondents who had received COVID-19 testing in the prior 90 days, 29% of 140 Somali vs. 11% of 280 non-Somali respondents tested because of symptoms (p = 0.001), with a trend for longer time from symptom onset to testing (a measure of testing access) among Somali respondents (median 3.0 vs. 2.0 days, p = 0.06). Focus groups revealed barriers to testing, including distrust, misinformation, stigma, language, lack of awareness, and transportation. Stakeholders responding from all sectors highlighted the importance of community partnership to improve access. CONCLUSION Somali communities experience barriers to COVID-19 testing, as evidenced by the longer time from symptom onset to testing and corroborated by our qualitative findings. These barriers, both structural and community-derived, may be overcome through partnerships between government and community to support community-led, multilingual service delivery and racial representation among medical staff.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Najma Abdi
- School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sabrina Ebengho
- School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Somali Health Board, Tukwila, WA, USA
| | | | - Andrea Scallon
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ayan Mohamed
- School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Asiya Ahmed
- School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Somali Health Board, Tukwila, WA, USA
| | | | - Ruweida Ahmed
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Anisa Ibrahim
- Somali Health Board, Tukwila, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ahmed Ali
- Somali Health Board, Tukwila, WA, USA
| | - Kathleen McGlone West
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Keshet Ronen
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Misra P, Garg PK, Awasthi A, Kant S, Rai SK, Ahmad M, Guleria R, Deori TJ, Mandal S, Jaiswal A, Gongal G, Vishwakarma S, Bairwa M, Kumar R, Haldar P, Binayke A. Cell-Mediated Immunity (CMI) for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among the General Population of North India: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From a Sub-sample of a Large Sero-Epidemiological Study. Cureus 2023; 15:e48824. [PMID: 38106811 PMCID: PMC10722242 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.48824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cell-mediated immunity (CMI), or specifically T-cell-mediated immunity, is proven to remain largely preserved against the variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), including Omicron. The persistence of cell-mediated immune response in individuals longitudinally followed up for an extended period remains largely unelucidated. To address this, the current study was planned to study whether the effect of cell-mediated immunity persists after an extended period of convalescence or vaccination. Methods Whole blood specimens of 150 selected participants were collected and tested for Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) response. Ex vivo SARS-CoV-2-specific interferon-gamma Enzyme-linked Immunospot (IFN-γ ELISpot) assay was carried out to determine the levels of virus-specific IFN-γ producing cells in individual samples. Findings Out of all the samples tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 T-cell-mediated IFN-γ response, 78.4% of samples were positive. The median (interquartile range) spots forming units (SFU) per million levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific IFN-γ producing cells of the vaccinated and diagnosed participants was 336 (138-474) while those who were vaccinated but did not have the disease diagnosis was 18 (0-102); the difference between the groups was statistically significant. Since almost all the participants were vaccinated, a similar pattern of significance was observed when the diagnosed and the never-diagnosed participants were compared, irrespective of their vaccination status. Interpretations Cell-mediated immunity against SARS-CoV-2 persisted, irrespective of age and sex of the participant, for more than six months of previous exposure. Participants who had a history of diagnosed COVID-19 infection had better T-cell response compared to those who had never been diagnosed, in spite of being vaccinated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Puneet Misra
- Epidemiology and Public Health, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Pramod K Garg
- Gastroenterology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Amit Awasthi
- Allergy and Immunology, Centre for Immunobiology and Immunotherapy, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, IND
| | - Shashi Kant
- Epidemiology and Public Health, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Sanjay K Rai
- Epidemiology and Public Health, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Mohammad Ahmad
- Epidemiology and Public Health, World Health Organization, New Delhi, IND
| | - Randeep Guleria
- Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Trideep J Deori
- Epidemiology and Public Health, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Suprakash Mandal
- Epidemiology and Public Health, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Abhishek Jaiswal
- Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Gaurav Gongal
- Epidemiology and Public Health, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Siddhesh Vishwakarma
- Allergy and Immunology, Immunology Core Laboratory, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, IND
| | - Mohan Bairwa
- Epidemiology and Public Health, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Epidemiology and Public Health, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Partha Haldar
- Preventive Medicine, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, IND
| | - Akshay Binayke
- Allergy and Immunology, Centre for Immunobiology and Immunotherapy, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, IND
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Shi F, Zhang J, Yang X, Sun X, Li Z, Weissman S, Olatosi B, Li X. Understanding social risk factors of county-level disparities in COVID-19 tests per confirmed case in South Carolina using statewide electronic health records data. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2135. [PMID: 37907874 PMCID: PMC10617158 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17055-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 testing is essential for pandemic control, and insufficient testing in areas with high disease burdens could magnify the risk of poor health outcomes. However, few area-based studies on COVID-19 testing disparities have considered the disease burden (e.g., confirmed cases). The current study aims to investigate socioeconomic drivers of geospatial disparities in COVID-19 testing relative to disease burden across 46 counties in South Carolina (SC) in the early (from April 1, 2020, to June 30, 2020) and later (from July 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021) phases of the pandemic. METHODS Using SC statewide COVID-19 testing data, the COVID-19 testing coverage was measured by monthly COVID-19 tests per confirmed case (hereafter CTPC) in each county. We used modified Lorenz curves to describe the unequal geographic distribution of CTPC and generalized linear mixed-effects regression models to assess the association of county-level social risk factors with CTPC in two phases of the pandemic in SC. RESULTS As of September 30, 2021, a total of 641,201 out of 2,941,227 tests were positive in SC. The Lorenz curve showed that county-level disparities in CTPC were less apparent in the later phase of the pandemic. Counties with a larger percentage of Black had lower CTPC during the early phase (β = -0.94, 95%CI: -1.80, -0.08), while such associations reversed in the later phase (β = 0.28, 95%CI: 0.01, 0.55). The association of some other social risk factors diminished as the pandemic evolved, such as food insecurity (β: -1.19 and -0.42; p-value is < 0.05 for both). CONCLUSIONS County-level disparities in CTPC and their predictors are dynamic across the pandemic. These results highlight the systematic inequalities in COVID-19 testing resources and accessibility, especially in the early stage of the pandemic. Counties with greater social vulnerability and those with fewer health care resources should be paid extra attention in the early and later phases, respectively. The current study provided empirical evidence for public health agencies to conduct more targeted community-based testing campaigns to enhance access to testing in future public health crises.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fanghui Shi
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality, Columbia, SC, USA.
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
- University of South Carolina Big Data Health Science Center, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
| | - Jiajia Zhang
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality, Columbia, SC, USA
- University of South Carolina Big Data Health Science Center, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Xueying Yang
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality, Columbia, SC, USA
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- University of South Carolina Big Data Health Science Center, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Xiaowen Sun
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality, Columbia, SC, USA
- University of South Carolina Big Data Health Science Center, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Zhenlong Li
- University of South Carolina Big Data Health Science Center, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
- Geoinformation and Big Data Research Lab, Department of Geography, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Sharon Weissman
- University of South Carolina Big Data Health Science Center, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
- School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Bankole Olatosi
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality, Columbia, SC, USA
- University of South Carolina Big Data Health Science Center, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
- Department of Health Services, Policy, and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Xiaoming Li
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality, Columbia, SC, USA
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- University of South Carolina Big Data Health Science Center, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Zhou S, Feng X, Hu Y, Yang J, Chen Y, Bastow J, Zheng ZJ, Xu M. Factors associated with the utilization of diagnostic tools among countries with different income levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Glob Health Res Policy 2023; 8:45. [PMID: 37885008 PMCID: PMC10605783 DOI: 10.1186/s41256-023-00330-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disparities in the utilization of essential medical products are a key factor contributing to inequality in health outcomes. We aimed to analyze the trends and influencing factors in using Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnostic tools and disparities in countries with different income levels. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study using open and publicly available data sources. Data were mainly collected from the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, "Our World in Data," and the Global Burden of Disease databases. Negative binomial regression model and generalized linear mixed model were employed to investigate into five sets of factors associated with the usage of diagnostics: severity of COVID-19, socioeconomic status, health status, medical service capacity, and rigidity of response. Dominance analysis was utilized to compare the relative importance of these factors. The Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition was used to decompose the difference in the usage of diagnostics between countries. RESULTS The total COVID-19 testing rate ranged from 5.13 to 22,386.63 per 1000 people from March 2020 to October 2022 and the monthly testing rate declined dramatically from January 2022 to October 2022 (52.37/1000 vs 5.91/1000).. The total testing rate was primarily associated with socioeconomic status (37.84%), with every 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in Gross Domestic Product per capita and the proportion of people aged ≥ 70, the total testing rate increased by 88% and 31%. And so is the medical service capacity (33.66%), with every 1 SD increase in health workforce density, the number increased by 38%. The monthly testing rate was primarily associated with socioeconomic status (34.72%) and medical service capacity (28.67%), and the severity of COVID-19 (21.09%). The average difference in the total testing rates between high-income and low-income countries was 2726.59 per 1000 people, and 2493.43 (91.45%) of the differences could be explained through the five sets of factors. CONCLUSIONS Redoubling the efforts, such as local manufacturing, regulatory reliance, and strengthening the community health workforce and laboratory capacity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) cannot be more significant for ensuring sustainable and equitable access to diagnostic tools during pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuduo Zhou
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangning Feng
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yunxuan Hu
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Yang
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jon Bastow
- Independent Diagnostics and Health Systems Expert, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Zhi-Jie Zheng
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Xu
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Ryu S, Chaubal S, Guro P, King EJ, Orellana R, Fleischer NL, Hirschtick JL. Prevalence and predictors of perceived COVID-19 stigma within a population-based sample of adults with COVID-19. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2110. [PMID: 37891499 PMCID: PMC10604399 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17042-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Growing evidence suggests that individuals with COVID-19 face stigmatization, which is associated with poor health outcomes and behaviors. However, very few population-based studies have examined risk factors for experiencing COVID-19 stigma. This study examined prevalence and predictors of perceived COVID-19 stigma using a population-based probability sample of adults with COVID-19. METHODS We included adults with polymerase chain reaction-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 in Michigan between January 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021. Perceived COVID-19 stigma was considered present if a respondent answered affirmatively to any of the following items due to people thinking they might have COVID-19: "you were treated badly," "people acted as if they were scared of you," and "you were threatened or harassed." We conducted modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors to estimate associations between perceived COVID-19 stigma and potential predictors, including sex, age, race and ethnicity, household income, education, employment, smoking status, body mass index, preexisting diagnosed physical or mental comorbidities, and COVID-19 illness severity. RESULTS Perceived COVID-19 stigma was commonly reported among our respondents (38.8%, n = 2,759). Compared to those over 65 years, respondents who were 18 - 34 (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR): 1.41, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.12 - 1.77) and 35 - 44 years old (aPR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.31 - 2.09) reported higher perceived stigma. Female respondents had 1.23 times higher prevalence of perceived COVID-19 stigma (95% CI: 1.10 - 1.37) than male respondents and non-Hispanic Black respondents had 1.22 times higher prevalence of perceived COVID-19 stigma (95% CI: 1.04 - 1.44) than non-Hispanic White respondents. Moreover, respondents with pre-existing diagnosed psychological or psychiatric comorbidities were more likely to report perceived COVID-19 stigma (aPR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.13 - 1.48) compared to those without diagnosed comorbidities. Respondents with very severe COVID-19 symptoms were also more likely to report perceived COVID-19 stigma (aPR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.23 - 1.75) than those with asymptomatic or mild symptoms. CONCLUSIONS We found that populations who are marginalized in United States, such as females, non-Hispanic Black adults, or individuals with chronic conditions, are more likely to report perceived COVID-19 stigma. Continuing to monitor COVID-19 stigma, especially in vulnerable populations, may provide useful insights for anti-stigma campaigns and future pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soomin Ryu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Samhita Chaubal
- Battelle, Columbus, OH, 43201, USA
- Defense Centers for Public Health-Portsmouth (DCPH-P), Portsmouth, VA, 23708, USA
| | - Paula Guro
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Elizabeth J King
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Robert Orellana
- CDC Foundation, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Lansing, MI, 48909, USA
| | - Nancy L Fleischer
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Jana L Hirschtick
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Gagnon-Dufresne MC, Gautier L, Beaujoin C, Boivin P, Coulibaly A, Richard Z, Gomes de Medeiros S, Dutra Da Nóbrega RE, de Araujo Oliveira SR, Cloos P, Chabrol F, Ridde V, Zinszer K. Did the design and planning of testing and contact tracing interventions for COVID-19 consider social inequalities in health? A multiple case study from Brazil, Canada, France & Mali. Soc Sci Med 2023; 335:116230. [PMID: 37716184 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented global crisis. It has exposed and exacerbated weaknesses in public health systems worldwide, particularly with regards to reaching the most vulnerable populations, disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The objective of our study was to examine whether and how social inequalities in health (SIH) were considered in the design and planning of public health responses to COVID-19 in jurisdictions of Brazil, Canada, France, and Mali. This article reports on a qualitative multiple case study of testing and contact tracing interventions in regions with high COVID-19 incidence in each country, namely: Manaus (Brazil), Montréal (Canada), Île-de-France (France), and Bamako (Mali). We conducted interviews with 108 key informants involved in these interventions in the four jurisdictions, focusing on the first and second waves of the pandemic. We analyzed our data thematically using a theoretical bricolage framework. Our analysis suggests that the lack of a common understanding of SIH among all actors involved and the sense of urgency brought by the pandemic eclipsed the prioritization of SIH in the initial responses. The pandemic increased intersectoral collaboration, but decision-making power was often unequal between Ministries of Health and other actors in each jurisdiction. Various adaptations to COVID-19 interventions were implemented to reach certain population groups, therefore improving the accessibility, availability, and acceptability of testing and contact tracing. Our study contributes to identifying lessons learned from the current pandemic, namely that the ways in which SIH are understood shape how interventions are planned; that having clear guidelines on how to integrate SIH into public health interventions could lead to more inclusive pandemic responses; that for intersectoral collaboration to be fruitful, there needs to be sufficient resources and equitable decision-making power between partners; and that interventions must be flexible to respond to emerging needs while considering long-standing structural inequalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Catherine Gagnon-Dufresne
- School of Public Health, University of Montréal, 7101 Avenue Du Parc, Montréal, QC, H3N 1X9, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP), 1301 Rue Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H3L 1M3, Canada.
| | - Lara Gautier
- School of Public Health, University of Montréal, 7101 Avenue Du Parc, Montréal, QC, H3N 1X9, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP), 1301 Rue Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H3L 1M3, Canada.
| | - Camille Beaujoin
- School of Public Health, University of Montréal, 7101 Avenue Du Parc, Montréal, QC, H3N 1X9, Canada.
| | - Pauline Boivin
- Unité de Recherche en Sciences Sociales Miseli, Ilot N°17, Cité El Farako, P.O. Box E 5448, Bamako, Mali.
| | - Abdourahmane Coulibaly
- Unité de Recherche en Sciences Sociales Miseli, Ilot N°17, Cité El Farako, P.O. Box E 5448, Bamako, Mali.
| | - Zoé Richard
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Institut National de La Santé et de La Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre Population et Développement (CEPED), 45 Rue des Saints-Pères, F-75006, Paris, France.
| | - Stéphanie Gomes de Medeiros
- Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235 - Cidade Universitária, Recife PE 50670-901, Brazil.
| | - Raylson Emanuel Dutra Da Nóbrega
- Aggeu Magalhães Research Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego - Cidade Universitária, Recife PE 50740-465, Brazil.
| | - Sydia Rosana de Araujo Oliveira
- Aggeu Magalhães Research Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego - Cidade Universitária, Recife PE 50740-465, Brazil.
| | - Patrick Cloos
- School of Public Health, University of Montréal, 7101 Avenue Du Parc, Montréal, QC, H3N 1X9, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP), 1301 Rue Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H3L 1M3, Canada; School of Social Work, University of Montréal, 3150 Rue Jean-Brillant, Montréal, QC, H3T 1N8, Canada.
| | - Fanny Chabrol
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Institut National de La Santé et de La Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre Population et Développement (CEPED), 45 Rue des Saints-Pères, F-75006, Paris, France.
| | - Valéry Ridde
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Institut National de La Santé et de La Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre Population et Développement (CEPED), 45 Rue des Saints-Pères, F-75006, Paris, France.
| | - Kate Zinszer
- School of Public Health, University of Montréal, 7101 Avenue Du Parc, Montréal, QC, H3N 1X9, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP), 1301 Rue Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H3L 1M3, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Herbert C, Shi Q, Baek J, Wang B, Kheterpal V, Nowak C, Suvarna T, Singh A, Hartin P, Durnam B, Schrader S, Harman E, Gerber B, Barton B, Zai A, Cohen-Wolkowiez M, Corbie-Smith G, Kibbe W, Marquez J, Hafer N, Broach J, Lin H, Heetderks W, McManus DD, Soni A. Association of neighborhood-level sociodemographic factors with Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) distribution of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests in 5 US communities. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1848. [PMID: 37735647 PMCID: PMC10515232 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16642-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many interventions for widescale distribution of rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 have utilized online, direct-to-consumer (DTC) ordering systems; however, little is known about the sociodemographic characteristics of home-test users. We aimed to characterize the patterns of online orders for rapid antigen tests and determine geospatial and temporal associations with neighborhood characteristics and community incidence of COVID-19, respectively. METHODS This observational study analyzed online, DTC orders for rapid antigen test kits from beneficiaries of the Say Yes! Covid Test program from March to November 2021 in five communities: Louisville, Kentucky; Indianapolis, Indiana; Fulton County, Georgia; O'ahu, Hawaii; and Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, Michigan. Using spatial autoregressive models, we assessed the geospatial associations of test kit distribution with Census block-level education, income, age, population density, and racial distribution and Census tract-level Social Vulnerability Index. Lag association analyses were used to measure the association between online rapid antigen kit orders and community-level COVID-19 incidence. RESULTS In total, 164,402 DTC test kits were ordered during the intervention. Distribution of tests at all sites were significantly geospatially clustered at the block-group level (Moran's I: p < 0.001); however, education, income, age, population density, race, and social vulnerability index were inconsistently associated with test orders across sites. In Michigan, Georgia, and Kentucky, there were strong associations between same-day COVID-19 incidence and test kit orders (Michigan: r = 0.89, Georgia: r = 0.85, Kentucky: r = 0.75). The incidence of COVID-19 during the current day and the previous 6-days increased current DTC orders by 9.0 (95% CI = 1.7, 16.3), 3.0 (95% CI = 1.3, 4.6), and 6.8 (95% CI = 3.4, 10.2) in Michigan, Georgia, and Kentucky, respectively. There was no same-day or 6-day lagged correlation between test kit orders and COVID-19 incidence in Indiana. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that online ordering is not associated with geospatial clustering based on sociodemographic characteristics. Observed temporal preferences for DTC ordering can guide public health messaging around DTC testing programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carly Herbert
- Program in Digital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, WorcesterWorcester, MA, 01655, USA
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science, University of Massachusetts, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Qiming Shi
- Program in Digital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, WorcesterWorcester, MA, 01655, USA
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science, University of Massachusetts, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jonggyu Baek
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Biqi Wang
- Program in Digital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, WorcesterWorcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | | | | | | | - Aditi Singh
- Program in Digital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, WorcesterWorcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Paul Hartin
- Program in Digital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, WorcesterWorcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | | | | | | | - Ben Gerber
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Bruce Barton
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Adrian Zai
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | - Giselle Corbie-Smith
- Department of Social Medicine, Department of Medicine, Center for Health Equity Research, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Warren Kibbe
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Juan Marquez
- Washtenaw County Health Department, Washtenaw, MI, USA
| | - Nathaniel Hafer
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science, University of Massachusetts, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - John Broach
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Honghuang Lin
- Program in Digital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, WorcesterWorcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - William Heetderks
- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, NIH, Via Contract With Kelly Services, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David D McManus
- Program in Digital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, WorcesterWorcester, MA, 01655, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Apurv Soni
- Program in Digital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, WorcesterWorcester, MA, 01655, USA.
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
- Division of Health System Science, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Friedman S, Insaf TZ, Adeyeye T, Lee JW. Spatial Variation in COVID-19 Mortality in New York City and Its Association with Neighborhood Race, Ethnicity, and Nativity Status. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:6702. [PMID: 37681842 PMCID: PMC10487809 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20176702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
We examined the association between variation in COVID-19 deaths and spatial differences in the racial, ethnic, and nativity-status composition of New York City neighborhoods, which has received little scholarly attention. Using COVID-19 mortality data (through 31 May 2021) and socioeconomic and demographic data from the American Community Survey at the Zip Code Tabulation Area level as well as United-Hospital-Fund-level neighborhood data from the Community Health Survey of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, we employed multivariable Poisson generalized estimating equation models and assessed the association between COVID-19 mortality, racial/ethnic/nativity-status composition, and other ecological factors. Our results showed an association between neighborhood-level racial and ethnic composition and COVID-19 mortality rates that is contingent upon the neighborhood-level nativity-status composition. After multivariable adjustment, ZCTAs with large shares of native-born Blacks and foreign-born Hispanics and Asians were more likely to have higher COVID-19 mortality rates than areas with large shares of native-born Whites. Areas with more older adults and essential workers, higher levels of household crowding, and population with diabetes were also at high risk. Small-area analyses of COVID-19 mortality can inform health policy responses to neighborhood inequalities on the basis of race, ethnicity, and immigration status.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Friedman
- Department of Sociology, University at Albany, SUNY, 348 Arts & Sciences Building 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Tabassum Z. Insaf
- Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, 1203 Corning Tower, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223, USA; (T.Z.I.); (T.A.)
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, SUNY, 1 University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - Temilayo Adeyeye
- Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, 1203 Corning Tower, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223, USA; (T.Z.I.); (T.A.)
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, SUNY, 1 University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - Jin-Wook Lee
- Center for Social and Demographic Analysis, University at Albany, SUNY, 321 University Administration Building, Albany, NY 12222, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Gary-Webb TL, Van Dyke C, Abrams K, Beery J, Bennett O, Bey J, Brown F, Conti T, Garland R, Gloster J, Gradeck R, Issac L, Kohler J, King AA, Lewis M, Maseru N, Mendez D, McGlasson M, Monette A, Ware K, Wright A. An Equity Response to COVID-19 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: The Development and Work of the Black Equity Coalition. Health Promot Pract 2023; 24:828-840. [PMID: 36367291 PMCID: PMC9659686 DOI: 10.1177/15248399221133726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
From the onset of the pandemic in the United States, racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes have been evident. In April 2020, several events prompted a concerned group of colleagues to form the Black Equity Coalition (BEC), a Black-led coalition in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, which brings together professionals from multiple sectors who aim to ensure an equitable response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several significant milestones have been achieved, and this article describes the development, functioning, and outcomes of the Coalition in the first 15 months of operation (April 2020-June 2021). COVID-19 was the reason for such an unprecedented effort, but this BEC infrastructure will be needed long after COVID-19 is controlled. In addition to short-term activities and reactive measures to prevent and mitigate COVID-19 in Black populations, the BEC is serving as a crucial link between government, health care stakeholders, and communities to produce long-term systemic change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlyn Van Dyke
- University of Pittsburgh School of
Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Olivia Bennett
- Pittsburgh Black Elected Officials
Coalition, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jamil Bey
- UrbanKind Institute, Pittsburgh, PA,
USA
| | | | - Tracey Conti
- University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Richard Garland
- University of Pittsburgh School of
Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Robert Gradeck
- University of Pittsburgh Center for
Social & Urban Research, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lisa Issac
- Gateway Medical Society, Pittsburgh,
PA, USA
| | - Jared Kohler
- CREATE Lab, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Noble Maseru
- University of Pittsburgh Schools of
the Health Sciences, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Dara Mendez
- University of Pittsburgh School of
Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Anne Wright
- CREATE Lab, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Gili A, Caminiti M, Lupi C, Zichichi S, Minicucci I, Pezzotti P, Primieri C, Bietta C, Stracci F. Socio-Economic Factors Associated with Ethnic Disparities in SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Hospitalization. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:6521. [PMID: 37569061 PMCID: PMC10418672 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20156521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is evidence that non-Italians presented higher incidence of infection and worse health outcomes if compared to native populations in the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to compare Italian- and non-Italian-born health outcomes, accounting for socio-economic levels. METHODS We analyzed data relative to 906,463 people in Umbria (Italy) from 21 February 2020 to 31 May 2021. We considered the National Deprivation Index, the Urban-Rural Municipalities Index and the Human Development Index (HDI) of the country of birth. We used a multilevel logistic regression model to explore the influence of these factors on SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalization rates. Diagnosis in the 48 h preceding admission was an indicator of late diagnosis among hospitalized cases. RESULTS Overall, 54,448 persons tested positive (6%), and 9.7% of them were hospitalized. The risk of hospital admission was higher among non-Italians and was inversely related to the HDI of the country of birth. A diagnosis within 48 h before hospitalization was more frequent among non-Italians and correlated to the HDI level. CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 had unequal health outcomes among the population in Umbria. Reduced access to primary care services in the non-Italian group could explain our findings. Policies on immigrants' access to primary healthcare need to be improved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Gili
- Public Health Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Marta Caminiti
- Public Health Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Chiara Lupi
- Public Health Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Salvatore Zichichi
- Public Health Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Ilaria Minicucci
- Public Health Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Patrizio Pezzotti
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00162 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Primieri
- Epidemiology Unit, Department of Preventive Medicine, Local Health Unit 1, 06126 Perugia, Italy
| | - Carla Bietta
- Epidemiology Unit, Department of Preventive Medicine, Local Health Unit 1, 06126 Perugia, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Stracci
- Public Health Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
LeWinn KZ, Trasande L, Law A, Blackwell CK, Bekelman TA, Arizaga JA, Sullivan AA, Bastain TM, Breton CV, Karagas MR, Elliott AJ, Karr CJ, Carroll KN, Dunlop AL, Croen LA, Margolis AE, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Singh AM, Seroogy CM, Jackson DJ, Wood RA, Hartert TV, Kim YS, Duarte CS, Schweitzer JB, Lester BM, McEvoy CT, O’Connor TG, Oken E, Bornkamp N, Brown ED, Porucznik CA, Ferrara A, Camargo CA, Zhao Q, Ganiban JM, Jacobson LP. Sociodemographic Differences in COVID-19 Pandemic Experiences Among Families in the United States. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2330495. [PMID: 37610749 PMCID: PMC10448300 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.30495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Few population-based studies in the US collected individual-level data from families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective To examine differences in COVID-19 pandemic-related experiences in a large sociodemographically diverse sample of children and caregivers. Design, Setting, and Participants The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) multi-cohort consortium is an ongoing study that brings together 64 individual cohorts with participants (24 757 children and 31 700 caregivers in this study) in all 50 US states and Puerto Rico. Participants who completed the ECHO COVID-19 survey between April 2020 and March 2022 were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Data were analyzed from July 2021 to September 2022. Main Outcomes and Measures Exposures of interest were caregiver education level, child life stage (infant, preschool, middle childhood, and adolescent), and urban or rural (population <50 000) residence. Dependent variables included COVID-19 infection status and testing; disruptions to school, child care, and health care; financial hardships; and remote work. Outcomes were examined separately in logistic regression models mutually adjusted for exposures of interest and race, ethnicity, US Census division, sex, and survey administration date. Results Analyses included 14 646 children (mean [SD] age, 7.1 [4.4] years; 7120 [49%] female) and 13 644 caregivers (mean [SD] age, 37.6 [7.2] years; 13 381 [98%] female). Caregivers were racially (3% Asian; 16% Black; 12% multiple race; 63% White) and ethnically (19% Hispanic) diverse and comparable with the US population. Less than high school education (vs master's degree or more) was associated with more challenges accessing COVID-19 tests (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.88; 95% CI, 1.06-1.58), lower odds of working remotely (aOR, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.03-0.07), and more food access concerns (aOR, 4.14; 95% CI, 3.20-5.36). Compared with other age groups, young children (age 1 to 5 years) were least likely to receive support from schools during school closures, and their caregivers were most likely to have challenges arranging childcare and concerns about work impacts. Rural caregivers were less likely to rank health concerns (aOR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.69-0.86) and social distancing (aOR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.73-0.91) as top stressors compared with urban caregivers. Conclusions Findings in this cohort study of US families highlighted pandemic-related burdens faced by families with lower socioeconomic status and young children. Populations more vulnerable to public health crises should be prioritized in recovery efforts and future planning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaja Z. LeWinn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York
| | - Andrew Law
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Traci A. Bekelman
- Department of Epidemiology, Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity & Diabetes Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Jessica A. Arizaga
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco
| | - Alexis A. Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco
| | - Theresa M. Bastain
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Carrie V. Breton
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Margaret R. Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, New Hampshire
| | | | | | - Kecia N. Carroll
- Jack and Lucy Clark Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Anne L. Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Amy E. Margolis
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
| | | | - Jose F. Cordero
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens
| | - Anne Marie Singh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
| | - Christine M. Seroogy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
| | - Daniel J. Jackson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
| | - Robert A. Wood
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Tina V. Hartert
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Young Shin Kim
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco
| | - Cristiane S. Duarte
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
| | - Julie B. Schweitzer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Sacramento
- The MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento
| | - Barry M. Lester
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Brown Alpert Medical School and Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Cynthia T. McEvoy
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine, Portland
| | - Thomas G. O’Connor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Emily Oken
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nicole Bornkamp
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Eric D. Brown
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill
| | - Christina A. Porucznik
- Department of Family & Preventive Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City
| | | | | | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis
| | - Jody M. Ganiban
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Lisa P. Jacobson
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Belasen AR, Belasen AT, Bass M. Tracking the Uneven Outcomes of COVID-19 on Racial and Ethnic Groups: Implications for Health Policy. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023:10.1007/s40615-023-01692-5. [PMID: 37407864 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01692-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
The socioeconomic shocks of the first COVID-19 pandemic wave disproportionately affected vulnerable groups. But did that trend continue to hold during the Delta and Omicron waves? Leveraging data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, this paper examines whether demographic inequalities persisted across the waves of COVID-19 infections. The current study utilizes fixed effects regressions to isolate the marginal relationships between socioeconomic factors with case counts and death counts. Factors include levels of urbanization, age, gender, racial distribution, educational attainment, and household income, along with time- and state-specific COVID-19 restrictions and other time invariant controls captured via fixed effects controls. County-level health outcomes in large metropolitan areas show that despite higher incidence rates in suburban and exurban counties, urban counties still had disproportionately poor outcomes in the latter COVID-19 waves. Policy makers should consider health disparities when developing long-term public health regulatory policies to help shield low-income households from the adverse effects of COVID-19 and future pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ariel R Belasen
- Department of Economics and Finance, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, 62026, USA.
| | - Alan T Belasen
- Empire State University, 113 West Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866, USA
| | - Mickenzie Bass
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Lee RE, Todd M, Oh H, Han S, Santana M, Aguilar-Troncoso J, Bruening M, Kramer JL, León T, Murugan V, Valdez H, Villegas-Gold M. Acceptability and Feasibility of Saliva-delivered PCR Coronavirus 2019 Tests for Young Children. Pediatrics 2023; 152:e2022060352D. [PMID: 37394507 PMCID: PMC10312283 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-060352d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Access to readily available, reliable, and easy-to-use coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tests remains critical, despite great vaccination progress. Universal back-to-school testing offered at early care and education ([ECE]; ie, preschool) sites to screen for positive cases may help preschoolers safely return to, and stay in, ECE. We examined the acceptability and feasibility of using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction COVID-19 saliva test for young children (n = 227, 54.0% girls: mean age = 52.3 ± 8.1 months) and their caregivers (n = 70 teachers: mean = 36.6 ± 14.7 years; n = 227 parents: mean = 35.5 ± 9.1 years) to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and reduce days of school and work missed for households with children who test positive. METHODS Participants were recruited at ECE sites serving low-income communities as part of the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostic Testing-Underserved Populations Back to Early Care and Education Safely with Sustainability via Active Garden Education project (NCT05178290). RESULTS Surveys in English or Spanish administered at testing events to children and caregivers at ECE sites showed child and adult acceptability and feasibility ratings were generally high. More favorable child and parent ratings were positively associated with child age and whether the child was able to produce a saliva sample. Language preference was not associated with any outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Saliva sampling for COVID-19 at ECE sites is an acceptable strategy as an additional layer of protection for 4- and 5-year-olds; however, alternate testing strategies may be needed for younger children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E. Lee
- Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation
| | | | - Hyunsung Oh
- School of Social Work, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona
| | | | - Michelle Santana
- Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation
| | | | - Meg Bruening
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Joanna L. Kramer
- Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Division of Primary, Complex, and Adolescent Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Tomás León
- Equality Health Foundation, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Vel Murugan
- Center for Personalized Diagnostics, ASU Biodesign Clinical Testing Laboratory, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Hector Valdez
- Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation
| | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Katzmarzyk PT, Myers CA, Nelson MR, Denstel KD, Mire EF, Newton RL, Broyles ST, Kirwan JP. Exploring barriers to SARS-CoV-2 testing uptake in underserved black communities in Louisiana. Am J Hum Biol 2023; 35:e23879. [PMID: 36807397 PMCID: PMC10591290 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To collect qualitative data on approaches that can potentially reduce barriers to, and create strategies for, increasing SARS-CoV-2 testing uptake in underserved Black communities in Louisiana. METHODS A series of eight focus groups, including 41 participants, were conducted in primarily Black communities. The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was used to determine perceptions of COVID-19 as a disease, access to testing, and barriers limiting testing uptake. RESULTS Common barriers to SARS-CoV-2 testing were identified as lack of transportation, misinformation/lack of information, lack of time/long wait times, fear of the test being uncomfortable and/or testing positive, the cost of testing, and lack of computer/smartphone/internet. The most impactful approaches identified to increase testing uptake included providing testing within the local communities; testing specifically in heavily traveled areas such as supermarkets, churches, schools, and so forth; providing incentives; engaging local celebrities; and providing information to the community through health fairs, or through churches and schools. The strategies that were deemed to be the easiest to implement revolved around communication about testing, with suggested strategies involving churches, local celebrities or expert leaders, social media, text messages, public service announcements, post cards, or putting up signs in neighborhoods. Providing transportation to testing sites, providing incentives, and bringing the testing to neighborhoods and schools were also identified as easy to implement strategies. CONCLUSIONS Several strategies to increase testing uptake were identified in this population. These strategies need to be tested for effectiveness in real-world settings using experimental and observational study designs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Candice A. Myers
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Michelle R. Nelson
- Surgeons Group of Baton Rouge, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Kara D. Denstel
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Emily F. Mire
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Robert L. Newton
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | | | - John P. Kirwan
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Pogue K, Altman JD, Lee AA, Miner DS, Skyles TJ, Bodily RJ, Crook TB, Nielson BU, Hinton K, Busacker L, Mecham ZE, Rose AM, Black S, Poole BD. Decrease in Overall Vaccine Hesitancy in College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1132. [PMID: 37514948 PMCID: PMC10384532 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11071132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic changed our world as we know it and continues to be a global problem three years since the pandemic began. Several vaccines were produced, but there was a considerable amount of societal turmoil surrounding them that has affected the way people view not only COVID-19 vaccines but all vaccines. We used a survey to compare how attitudes towards vaccination have changed in college students during the pandemic. An initial survey was administered in 2021, then a follow-up in 2022. Out of 316 respondents who answered the first survey, 192 completed the follow-up. The survey was designed to measure trends in changes to vaccine attitudes since the COVID-19 pandemic began. By comparing the first survey in 2021 and the follow-up, we found that roughly 55% of respondents' vaccine attitudes did not change, roughly 44% of respondents' attitudes towards vaccines became more positive, and only about 1% of the respondents' vaccine attitudes became more negative. Improved view of vaccines was associated with political views and increased trust in medicine and the healthcare system. Worsened opinions of vaccines were associated with a belief that the COVID-19 vaccine affected fertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kendall Pogue
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Jessica D Altman
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Abigail A Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Dashiell S Miner
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Ty J Skyles
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Ruth J Bodily
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Triston B Crook
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Bryce U Nielson
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Hinton
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Lydia Busacker
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Zoe E Mecham
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Agnes M Rose
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Scott Black
- Department of English, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Brian D Poole
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Kelly MS, Mohammed A, Okin D, Alba GA, Jesudasen SJ, Flanagan S, Dandawate NA, Gavralidis A, Chang LL, Moin EE, Witkin AS, Hibbert KA, Kadar A, Gordan PL, Bebell LM, Hauptman M, Valeri L, Lai PS. Preferred Language Mediates Association Between Race, Ethnicity, and Delayed Presentation in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19. Crit Care Explor 2023; 5:e0927. [PMID: 37332365 PMCID: PMC10270487 DOI: 10.1097/cce.0000000000000927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Which social factors explain racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 access to care and outcomes remain unclear. OBJECTIVES We hypothesized that preferred language mediates the association between race, ethnicity and delays to care. DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Multicenter, retrospective cohort study of adults with COVID-19 consecutively admitted to the ICU in three Massachusetts hospitals in 2020. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES Causal mediation analysis was performed to evaluate potential mediators including preferred language, insurance status, and neighborhood characteristics. RESULTS Non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients (157/442, 36%) were more likely to speak English as their preferred language (78% vs. 13%), were less likely to be un- or under-insured (1% vs. 28%), lived in neighborhoods with lower social vulnerability index (SVI) than patients from racial and ethnic minority groups (SVI percentile 59 [28] vs. 74 [21]) but had more comorbidities (Charlson comorbidity index 4.6 [2.5] vs. 3.0 [2.5]), and were older (70 [13.2] vs. 58 [15.1] years). From symptom onset, NHW patients were admitted 1.67 [0.71-2.63] days earlier than patients from racial and ethnic minority groups (p < 0.01). Non-English preferred language was associated with delay to admission of 1.29 [0.40-2.18] days (p < 0.01). Preferred language mediated 63% of the total effect (p = 0.02) between race, ethnicity and days from symptom onset to hospital admission. Insurance status, social vulnerability, and distance to the hospital were not on the causal pathway between race, ethnicity and delay to admission. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Preferred language mediates the association between race, ethnicity and delays to presentation for critically ill patients with COVID-19, although our results are limited by possible collider stratification bias. Effective COVID-19 treatments require early diagnosis, and delays are associated with increased mortality. Further research on the role preferred language plays in racial and ethnic disparities may identify effective solutions for equitable care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Kelly
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Adna Mohammed
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Daniel Okin
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - George A Alba
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | - Shelby Flanagan
- Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- New England Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, Boston, MA
| | - Nupur A Dandawate
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Salem Hospital, Salem, MA
| | - Alexander Gavralidis
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Salem Hospital, Salem, MA
| | - Leslie L Chang
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Emily E Moin
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Alison S Witkin
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Kathryn A Hibbert
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Aran Kadar
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, MA
| | - Patrick L Gordan
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Salem Hospital, Salem, MA
| | - Lisa M Bebell
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Marissa Hauptman
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Linda Valeri
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY
| | - Peggy S Lai
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Allen R, Pacas JD, Martens Z. Immigrant Legal Status among Essential Frontline Workers in the United States during the COVID-19 Pandemic Era. Int Migr Rev 2023; 57:521-556. [PMID: 38603280 PMCID: PMC9614593 DOI: 10.1177/01979183221127277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has extracted a substantial toll on immigrant communities in the United States, due in part to increased potential risk of exposure for immigrants to COVID-19 in the workplace. In this article, we use federal guidance on which industries in the United States were designated essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, information about the ability to work remotely, and data from the 2019 American Community Survey to estimate the distribution of essential frontline workers by nativity and immigrant legal status. Central to our analysis is a proxy measure of working in the primary or secondary sector of the segmented labor market. Our results indicate that a larger proportion of foreign-born workers are essential frontline workers compared to native-born workers and that 70 percent of unauthorized immigrant workers are essential frontline workers. Disparities in essential frontline worker status are most pronounced for unauthorized immigrant workers and native-born workers in the secondary sector of the labor market. These results suggest that larger proportions of foreign-born workers, and especially unauthorized immigrant workers, face greater risk of potential exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace than native-born workers. Social determinants of health such as lack of access to health insurance and living in overcrowded housing indicate that unauthorized immigrant essential frontline workers may be more vulnerable to poor health outcomes related to COVID-19 than other groups of essential frontline workers. These findings help to provide a plausible explanation for why COVID-19 mortality rates for immigrants are higher than mortality rates for native-born residents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Allen
- University of Minnesota Twin
Cities, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Schill R, Nelson KL, Harris-Lovett S, Kantor RS. The dynamic relationship between COVID-19 cases and SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentrations across time and space: Considerations for model training data sets. Sci Total Environ 2023; 871:162069. [PMID: 36754324 PMCID: PMC9902279 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater-based surveillance has been used alongside diagnostic testing to monitor infection rates. With the decline in cases reported to public health departments due to at-home testing, wastewater data may serve as the primary input for epidemiological models, but training these models is not straightforward. We explored factors affecting noise and bias in the ratio between wastewater and case data collected in 26 sewersheds in California from October 2020 to March 2022. The strength of the relationship between wastewater and case data appeared dependent on sampling frequency and population size, but was not increased by wastewater normalization to flow rate or case count normalization to testing rates. Additionally, the lead and lag times between wastewater and case data varied over time and space, and the ratio of log-transformed individual cases to wastewater concentrations changed over time. This ratio decreased between the Epsilon/Alpha and Delta variant surges of COVID-19 and increased during the Omicron BA.1 variant surge, and was also related to the diagnostic testing rate. Based on this analysis, we present a framework of scenarios describing the dynamics of the case to wastewater ratio to aid in data handling decisions for ongoing modeling efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Schill
- TUM School of Engineering and Design, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Kara L Nelson
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Rose S Kantor
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
El-Mohandes A, Wyka K, White TM, El-Sadr WM, Rauh L, Vasan A, Greene D, Rabin K, Ratzan SC, Chaudhri S, Kimball S, Lazarus JV. Comparison of Current Attitudes Toward COVID-19 Vaccination in New York City and the US Nationally. J Health Commun 2023; 28:34-44. [PMID: 37390011 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2023.2208071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 vaccination has resulted in decreased hospitalization and mortality, particularly among those who have received a booster. As new effective pharmaceutical treatments are now available and requirements for non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g. masking) are relaxed, perceptions of the risk and health consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection have decreased, risking potential resurgence. This June 2022 cross-sectional comparative study of representative samples in New York City (NYC, n = 2500) and the United States (US, n = 1000) aimed to assess differences in reported vaccine acceptance as well as attitudes toward vaccination mandates and new COVID-19 information and treatments. NYC respondents reported higher COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and support for vaccine mandate than U.S. respondents, yet lower acceptance for the booster dose. Nearly one-third of both NYC and U.S. respondents reported paying less attention to COVID-19 vaccine information than a year earlier, suggesting health communicators may need innovation and creativity to reach those with waning attention to COVID-19-related information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ayman El-Mohandes
- Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, New York, USA
| | - Katarzyna Wyka
- Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, New York, USA
| | - Trenton M White
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Lauren Rauh
- Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, New York, USA
| | - Ashwin Vasan
- Office of the Commissioner of Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York, USA
| | - Danielle Greene
- Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, New York, USA
| | - Kenneth Rabin
- Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, New York, USA
| | - Scott C Ratzan
- Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, New York, USA
| | - Simran Chaudhri
- Office of the Commissioner of Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York, USA
| | - Spencer Kimball
- Emerson Polling, Emerson College, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, New York, USA
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Bourdeaux M, Sasdi A, Oza S, Kerry VB. Integrating The US Public Health And Medical Care Systems To Improve Health Crisis Response. Health Aff (Millwood) 2023; 42:310-317. [PMID: 36877904 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.01255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
The operational cleavage between the US public health and medical care systems contributed to the country's difficulty in containing community spread of COVID-19 in the pandemic's first months. We provide an overview of the independent evolution of these two systems, drawing on case examples and publicly available outcome data, to demonstrate how three fundamental elements of epidemic response-case finding, mitigating transmission, and treatment-were undermined by the lack of coordination between public health and medical care and how these gaps contributed to health disparities. We propose policy initiatives to address these gaps and facilitate coordination across the two systems: build a case-finding diagnostic system to quickly identify and mitigate the emergence of health threats in communities, develop data systems that facilitate the transfer of critical health intelligence from medical institutions to public health departments, and establish referral pathways for public health practitioners to connect people with medical services. These policies are practicable because they build on existing efforts and those currently in development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Bourdeaux
- Margaret Bourdeaux , Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Noppert GA, Hegde ST, Kubale JT. Exposure, Susceptibility, and Recovery: A Framework for Examining the Intersection of the Social and Physical Environments and Infectious Disease Risk. Am J Epidemiol 2023; 192:475-482. [PMID: 36255177 PMCID: PMC10372867 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwac186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite well-documented evidence that structurally disadvantaged populations are disproportionately affected by infectious diseases, our understanding of the pathways that connect structural disadvantage to the burden of infectious diseases is limited. We propose a conceptual framework to facilitate more rigorous examination and testing of hypothesized mechanisms through which social and environmental factors shape the burden of infectious diseases and lead to persistent inequities. Drawing upon the principles laid out by Link and Phelan in their landmark paper on social conditions (J Health Soc Behav. 1995;(spec no.):80-94), we offer an explication of potential pathways through which structural disadvantage (e.g., racism, sexism, and economic deprivation) operates to produce infectious disease inequities. Specifically, we describe how the social environment affects an individual's risk of infectious disease by 1) increasing exposure to infectious pathogens and 2) increasing susceptibility to infection. This framework will facilitate both the systematic examination of the ways in which structural disadvantage shapes the burden of infectious disease and the design of interventions that can disrupt these pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grace A Noppert
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan
| | - Sonia T Hegde
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University
| | - John T Kubale
- ICPSR, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Sangsanont J, Rattanakul S, Makkaew P, Precha N, Rukthanapitak P, Sresung M, Siri Y, Kitajima M, Takeda T, Haramoto E, Puenpa J, Wanlapakorn N, Poovorawan Y, Mongkolsuk S, Sirikanchana K. Wastewater monitoring in tourist cities as potential sentinel sites for near real-time dynamics of imported SARS-CoV-2 variants. Sci Total Environ 2023; 860:160317. [PMID: 36436629 PMCID: PMC9691270 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) complements the clinical surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants' distribution in populations. Many developed nations have established national and regional WBE systems; however, governance and budget constraints could be obstacles for low- and middle-income countries. An urgent need thus exists to identify hotspots to serve as sentinel sites for WBE. We hypothesized that representative wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in two international gateway cities, Bangkok and Phuket, Thailand, could be sentineled for SARS-CoV-2 and its variants to reflect the clinical distribution patterns at city level and serve as early indicators of new variants entering the country. Municipal wastewater samples (n = 132) were collected from eight representative municipal WWTPs in Bangkok and Phuket during 19 sampling events from October 2021 to March 2022, which were tested by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) using the US CDC N1 and N2 multiplex and variant (Alpha, Delta, and Omicron BA.1 and BA.2) singleplex assays. The variant detection ratios from Bangkok and Phuket followed similar trends to the national clinical testing data, and each variant's viral loads agreed with the daily new cases (3-d moving average). Omicron BA.1 was detected in Phuket wastewater prior to Bangkok, possibly due to Phuket's WWTPs serving tourist communities. We found that the Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 viral loads predominantly drove the SARS-CoV-2 resurgence. We also noted a shifting pattern in the Bangkok WBE from a 22-d early warning in early 2021 to a near real-time pattern in late 2021. The potential application of tourist hotspots for WBE to indicate the arrival of new variants and re-emerging or unprecedented infectious agents could support tourism-dependent economies by complementing the reduced clinical regulations while maintaining public health protection via wastewater surveillance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jatuwat Sangsanont
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Water Science and Technology for Sustainable Environmental Research Group, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Surapong Rattanakul
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
| | - Prasert Makkaew
- Department of Environmental Health and Technology, School of Public Health, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; One Health Research Center, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
| | - Nopadol Precha
- Department of Environmental Health and Technology, School of Public Health, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; One Health Research Center, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
| | - Pratchaya Rukthanapitak
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Montakarn Sresung
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Yadpiroon Siri
- Environmental, Safety Technology and Health Program, School of Public Health, Walailak University, Thaiburi, Thasala, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
| | - Tomoko Takeda
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Jiratchaya Puenpa
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Nasamon Wanlapakorn
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Yong Poovorawan
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Skorn Mongkolsuk
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Kwanrawee Sirikanchana
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Shen FL, Shu J, Lee M, Oh H, Li M, Runger G, Marsiglia FF, Liu L. Evolution of COVID-19 Health Disparities in Arizona. J Immigr Minor Health 2023:10.1007/s10903-023-01449-6. [PMID: 36757600 PMCID: PMC9909642 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-023-01449-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 burdens are disproportionally high in underserved and vulnerable communities in Arizona. As the pandemic progressed, it is unclear if the initial associated health disparities have changed. This study aims to elicit the dynamic landscape of COVID-19 disparities at the community level and identify newly emerging vulnerable subpopulations. Findings from this study can inform interventions to increase health equity among minoritized communities in the Southwest, other regions of the US, and globally. We compiled biweekly COVID-19 case counts of 274 zip code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) in Arizona from October 21, 2020, to November 25, 2021, a time spanning multiple waves of COVID-19 case growth. Within each biweekly period, we tested the associations between the growth rate of COVID-19 cases and the population composition in a ZCTA including race/ethnicity, income, employment, and age using multiple regression analysis. We then compared the associations across time periods to discover temporal patterns of health disparities. The association between the percentage of Latinx population and the COVID-19 growth rate was positive before April 2021 but gradually converted to negative afterwards. The percentage of Black population was not associated with the COVID-19 growth rate at the beginning of the study but became positive after January 2021 which persisted till the end of the study period. Young median age and high unemployment rate emerged as new risk factors around mid-August 2021. Based on these findings, we identified 37 ZCTAs that were highly vulnerable to future fast escalation of COVID-19 cases. As the pandemic progresses, vulnerabilities associated with Latinx ethnicity improved gradually, possibly bolstered by culturally responsive programs in Arizona to support Latinx. Still communities with disadvantaged social determinants of health continued to struggle. Our findings inform the need to adjust current resource allocations to support the design and implementation of new interventions addressing the emerging vulnerabilities at the community level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felix L Shen
- Paradise Valley High School, Phoenix, AZ, 85032, USA
| | - Jingmin Shu
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA
| | - Matthew Lee
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Hyunsung Oh
- School of Social Work, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85006, USA
- Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Ming Li
- Phoenix Veterans' Administration Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ, 85012, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - George Runger
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Flavio F Marsiglia
- School of Social Work, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85006, USA.
- Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
| | - Li Liu
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Thanik E, Harada K, Garland E, Bixby M, Bhatia J, Lopez R, Galvez S, Dayanov E, Vemuri K, Bush D, DeFelice NB. Impact of COVID-19 on pediatric asthma-related healthcare utilization in New York City: a community-based study. BMC Pediatr 2023; 23:41. [PMID: 36691011 PMCID: PMC9868511 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-023-03845-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 disproportionately affects families of low socioeconomic status and may worsen health disparities that existed prior to the pandemic. Asthma is a common chronic disease in children exacerbated by environmental exposures. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted to understand the impact of the initial stage of the pandemic on environmental and social conditions, along with access to care for children with asthma in New York City (NYC). Participants were recruited from a community-based organization in East Harlem and a nearby academic Pediatric Pulmonary clinic and categorized as having either public or private insurance (n = 51). RESULTS Factors significantly associated with public compared to private insurance respectively were: increased reports of indoor asthma triggers (cockroach 76% vs 23%; mold 40% vs 12%), reduced income (72% vs 27%), and housing insecurity (32% vs 0%). Participants with public insurance were more likely to experience conditions less conducive to social distancing compared to respondents with private insurance, such as remaining in NYC (92% vs 38%) and using public transportation (44% vs 4%); families with private insurance also had greater access to remote work (81% vs 8%). Families with public insurance were significantly more likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 (48% vs 15%) but less likely to have gotten tested (76% vs 100%). Families with public insurance also reported greater challenges accessing office medical care and less access to telehealth, although not statistically significant (44% vs 19%; 68% vs 85%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight disproportionate burdens of the pandemic, and how these disparities affect children with asthma in urban environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erin Thanik
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| | - Kaoru Harada
- Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth Garland
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Moira Bixby
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Jasmine Bhatia
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Ray Lopez
- LSA Family Health Service, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Elan Dayanov
- Graduate Program in Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Krishna Vemuri
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Douglas Bush
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas B DeFelice
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Global Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Khan MM, Odoi A, Odoi EW. Geographic disparities in COVID-19 testing and outcomes in Florida. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:79. [PMID: 36631768 PMCID: PMC9832260 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14450-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding geographic disparities in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing and outcomes at the local level during the early stages of the pandemic can guide policies, inform allocation of control and prevention resources, and provide valuable baseline data to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for mitigating health, economic and social impacts. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify geographic disparities in COVID-19 testing, incidence, hospitalizations, and deaths during the first five months of the pandemic in Florida. METHODS: Florida county-level COVID-19 data for the time period March-July 2020 were used to compute various COVID-19 metrics including testing rates, positivity rates, incidence risks, percent of hospitalized cases, hospitalization risks, case-fatality rates, and mortality risks. High or low risk clusters were identified using either Kulldorff's circular spatial scan statistics or Tango's flexible spatial scan statistics and their locations were visually displayed using QGIS. RESULTS Visual examination of spatial patterns showed high estimates of all COVID-19 metrics for Southern Florida. Similar to the spatial patterns, high-risk clusters for testing and positivity rates and all COVID-19 outcomes (i.e. hospitalizations and deaths) were concentrated in Southern Florida. The distributions of these metrics in the other parts of Florida were more heterogeneous. For instance, testing rates for parts of Northwest Florida were well below the state median (11,697 tests/100,000 persons) but they were above the state median for North Central Florida. The incidence risks for Northwest Florida were equal to or above the state median incidence risk (878 cases/100,000 persons), but the converse was true for parts of North Central Florida. Consequently, a cluster of high testing rates was identified in North Central Florida, while a cluster of low testing rate and 1-3 clusters of high incidence risks, percent of hospitalized cases, hospitalization risks, and case fatality rates were identified in Northwest Florida. Central Florida had low-rate clusters of testing and positivity rates but it had a high-risk cluster of percent of hospitalized cases. CONCLUSIONS Substantial disparities in the spatial distribution of COVID-19 outcomes and testing and positivity rates exist in Florida, with Southern Florida counties generally having higher testing and positivity rates and more severe outcomes (i.e. hospitalizations and deaths) compared to Northern Florida. These findings provide valuable baseline data that is useful for assessing the effectiveness of preventive interventions, such as vaccinations, in various geographic locations in the state. Future studies will need to assess changes in spatial patterns over time at lower geographical scales and determinants of any identified patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Marufuzzaman Khan
- Department of Public Health, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Agricola Odoi
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Evah W Odoi
- Department of Public Health, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Blasingame M, Mallett V, Cook M, Im W, Wilus D, Kimbrough R, Ikwuezunma G, Orok E, Reed B, Akanbi V, Amoo-Asante A, Sanderson M. Association of Psychosocial Factors on COVID-19 Testing among YWCA Service Recipients. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:1297. [PMID: 36674054 PMCID: PMC9859612 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine how psychosocial factors affect receipt of COVID-19 testing among Black and Hispanic women. In this cross-sectional study of Black and Hispanic women who received services from the YWCAs in Atlanta, El Paso, Nashville, and Tucson between 2019 and 2021 (n = 662), we used Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information Systems (PROMIS) item bank 1.0 short forms to examine the impact of psychosocial factors (i.e., depression, anxiety, social isolation, instrumental support, emotional support, and companionship) on COVID-19 testing. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for receipt of a COVID-19 test associated with psychosocial factors while adjusting for confounders. There was little effect of moderate/severe depressions or anxiety on receipt of COVID-19 testing. Black (odds ratio [OR] 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.26-1.29) and Hispanic (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.38-0.96) women with high levels of emotional support were less likely to receive the COVID-19 test. While high levels of instrumental support was associated with less likely receipt of the COVID-19 test among Black women (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.34-1.66), it was associated with more likely receipt among Hispanic women (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.74-1.92). Our findings suggest that certain psychosocial factors influence one's decision to get a COVID-19 test which can be useful in encouraging preventive healthcare such as screening and vaccination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miaya Blasingame
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Veronica Mallett
- Center for Women’s Health Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Mekeila Cook
- Center for Women’s Health Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Wansoo Im
- Center for Women’s Health Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Derek Wilus
- Center for Women’s Health Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Robin Kimbrough
- Center for Women’s Health Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Gini Ikwuezunma
- Center for Women’s Health Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Ekemini Orok
- Center for Women’s Health Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Breia Reed
- Center for Women’s Health Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Victoria Akanbi
- Center for Women’s Health Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Aurdie Amoo-Asante
- Center for Women’s Health Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Maureen Sanderson
- Center for Women’s Health Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Bauer C, Li X, Zhang K, Lee M, Guajardo E, Fisher-Hoch S, McCormick J, Fernandez ME, Reininger B. A Novel Bayesian Spatial-Temporal Approach to Quantify SARS-CoV-2 Testing Disparities for Small Area Estimation. Am J Public Health 2023; 113:40-48. [PMID: 36516388 PMCID: PMC9755943 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2022.307127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Objectives. To propose a novel Bayesian spatial-temporal approach to identify and quantify severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing disparities for small area estimation. Methods. In step 1, we used a Bayesian inseparable space-time model framework to estimate the testing positivity rate (TPR) at geographically granular areas of the census block groups (CBGs). In step 2, we adopted a rank-based approach to compare the estimated TPR and the testing rate to identify areas with testing deficiency and quantify the number of needed tests. We used weekly SARS-CoV-2 infection and testing surveillance data from Cameron County, Texas, between March 2020 and February 2022 to demonstrate the usefulness of our proposed approach. Results. We identified the CBGs that had experienced substantial testing deficiency, quantified the number of tests that should have been conducted in these areas, and evaluated the short- and long-term testing disparities. Conclusions. Our proposed analytical framework offers policymakers and public health practitioners a tool for understanding SARS-CoV-2 testing disparities in geographically small communities. It could also aid COVID-19 response planning and inform intervention programs to improve goal setting and strategy implementation in SARS-CoV-2 testing uptake. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(1):40-48. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307127).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cici Bauer
- Cici Bauer, Xiaona Li, and Kehe Zhang are with the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Miryoung Lee, Susan Fisher-Hoch, and Joseph McCormick are with the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Esmeralda Guajardo is with the Cameron County Public Health, San Benito, TX. Maria E. Fernandez and Belinda Reininger are with the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Xiaona Li
- Cici Bauer, Xiaona Li, and Kehe Zhang are with the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Miryoung Lee, Susan Fisher-Hoch, and Joseph McCormick are with the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Esmeralda Guajardo is with the Cameron County Public Health, San Benito, TX. Maria E. Fernandez and Belinda Reininger are with the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Kehe Zhang
- Cici Bauer, Xiaona Li, and Kehe Zhang are with the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Miryoung Lee, Susan Fisher-Hoch, and Joseph McCormick are with the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Esmeralda Guajardo is with the Cameron County Public Health, San Benito, TX. Maria E. Fernandez and Belinda Reininger are with the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Miryoung Lee
- Cici Bauer, Xiaona Li, and Kehe Zhang are with the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Miryoung Lee, Susan Fisher-Hoch, and Joseph McCormick are with the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Esmeralda Guajardo is with the Cameron County Public Health, San Benito, TX. Maria E. Fernandez and Belinda Reininger are with the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Esmeralda Guajardo
- Cici Bauer, Xiaona Li, and Kehe Zhang are with the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Miryoung Lee, Susan Fisher-Hoch, and Joseph McCormick are with the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Esmeralda Guajardo is with the Cameron County Public Health, San Benito, TX. Maria E. Fernandez and Belinda Reininger are with the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Susan Fisher-Hoch
- Cici Bauer, Xiaona Li, and Kehe Zhang are with the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Miryoung Lee, Susan Fisher-Hoch, and Joseph McCormick are with the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Esmeralda Guajardo is with the Cameron County Public Health, San Benito, TX. Maria E. Fernandez and Belinda Reininger are with the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Joseph McCormick
- Cici Bauer, Xiaona Li, and Kehe Zhang are with the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Miryoung Lee, Susan Fisher-Hoch, and Joseph McCormick are with the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Esmeralda Guajardo is with the Cameron County Public Health, San Benito, TX. Maria E. Fernandez and Belinda Reininger are with the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Maria E Fernandez
- Cici Bauer, Xiaona Li, and Kehe Zhang are with the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Miryoung Lee, Susan Fisher-Hoch, and Joseph McCormick are with the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Esmeralda Guajardo is with the Cameron County Public Health, San Benito, TX. Maria E. Fernandez and Belinda Reininger are with the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Belinda Reininger
- Cici Bauer, Xiaona Li, and Kehe Zhang are with the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Miryoung Lee, Susan Fisher-Hoch, and Joseph McCormick are with the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Esmeralda Guajardo is with the Cameron County Public Health, San Benito, TX. Maria E. Fernandez and Belinda Reininger are with the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Arvin M, Bazrafkan S, Beiki P, Sharifi A. A county-level analysis of association between social vulnerability and COVID-19 cases in Khuzestan Province, Iran. Int J Disaster Risk Reduct 2023; 84:103495. [PMID: 36532873 PMCID: PMC9747688 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Social vulnerability is related to the differential abilities of socio-economic groups to withstand and respond to the adverse impacts of hazards and stressors. COVID-19, as a human risk, is influenced by and contributes to social vulnerability. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between social vulnerability and the prevalence of COVID-19 infection in the counties of Khuzestan province, Iran. To determine the social vulnerability of the counties in the Khuzestan province, decision-making techniques and geographic information systems were employed. Also, the Pearson correlation was used to examine the relationship between the two variables. The findings indicate that Ahvaz county and the province's northeastern counties have the highest levels of social vulnerability. There was no significant link between the social vulnerability index of the counties and the rate of COVID-19 cases (per 1000 persons). We argue that all counties in the province should implement and pursue COVID-19 control programs and policies. This is particularly essential for counties with greater rates of social vulnerability and COVID-19 cases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Arvin
- Department of Human Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahram Bazrafkan
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parisa Beiki
- Department of Geography, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ayyoob Sharifi
- Hiroshima University, ،The IDEC Institute, the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Science, and the Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS), Japan
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Izeogu C, Gill E, Van Allen K, Williams N, Thorpe LE, Shelley D. Attitudes, perceptions, and preferences towards SARS CoV-2 testing and vaccination among African American and Hispanic public housing residents, New York City: 2020-2021. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280460. [PMID: 36656814 PMCID: PMC9851504 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND African American and Hispanic populations have been affected disproportionately by COVID-19. Reasons are multifactorial and include social and structural determinants of health. During the onset and height of the pandemic, evidence suggested decreased access to SARS CoV-2 testing. In 2020, the National Institutes of Health launched the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx)- Underserved Populations initiative to improve SARS CoV-2 testing in underserved communities. In this study, we explored attitudes, experiences, and barriers to SARS CoV-2 testing and vaccination among New York City public housing residents. METHODS Between December 2020 and March 2021, we conducted 9 virtual focus groups among 36 low-income minority residents living in New York City public housing. RESULTS Among residents reporting a prior SARS CoV-2 test, main reasons for testing were to prepare for a medical procedure or because of a high-risk exposure. Barriers to testing included fear of discomfort from the nasal swab, fear of exposure to COVID-19 while traveling to get tested, concerns about the consequences of testing positive and the belief that testing was not necessary. Residents reported a mistrust of information sources and the health care system in general; they depended more on "word of mouth" for information. The major barrier to vaccination was lack of trust in vaccine safety. Residents endorsed more convenient testing, onsite testing at residential buildings, and home self-test kits. Residents also emphasized the need for language-concordant information sharing and for information to come from "people who look like [them] and come from the same background as [them]". CONCLUSIONS Barriers to SARS CoV-2 testing and vaccination centered on themes of a lack of accurate information, fear, mistrust, safety, and convenience. Resident-endorsed strategies to increase testing include making testing easier to access either through home or onsite testing locations. Education and information sharing by trusted members of the community are important tools to combat misinformation and build trust.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chigozirim Izeogu
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Emily Gill
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Kaitlyn Van Allen
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Natasha Williams
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Lorna E. Thorpe
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Donna Shelley
- Department of Public Health Policy and Management, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, New York, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Luxenburg O, Singer C, Kaim A, Saban M, Wilf‐Miron R. Socioeconomic and ethnic disparities along five waves of the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons we have not yet learnt. J Nurs Scholarsh 2023; 55:45-55. [PMID: 36218245 PMCID: PMC9874613 DOI: 10.1111/jnu.12816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The COVID-19 pandemic, now in its third year, has served as a magnifying glass, exposing the inequitable impact of the outbreak. The study aims to analyze the relationships between the socioeconomic and ethnic characteristics of the population and COVID-19 testing, infection, and vaccination throughout the first five pandemic waves. DESIGN A secondary analysis of an existing national database was conducted in Israel from March 2020 to May 2022. During the study period, Israel underwent 5 pandemic peaks or waves (March-April 2020, September-October 2020, January-February 2021, September 2021, and January-February 2022). METHODS Data on tests performed, confirmed COVID-19 cases, and uptake of vaccine doses one through four during the study period, were analyzed by the socioeconomic (SE) cluster (scale of 1 to 10) and ethnicity (Jewish, Arab, mixed Jewish- Arab ethnicity) of the residents' local authority. RESULTS COVID-19 testing rate gradually increased from the lowest to the highest SE clusters, with rates 3.2 times higher in the second highest, compared with the lowest cluster. People living in Jewish localities were tested twice more than those in Arab or mixed localities. The rate of confirmed cases was 1.9, 3.0, 6.3, and 4.3 times higher, respectively, among cluster 1 (the lowest) compared with cluster 9 (second highest) in the first, second, third, and fourth pandemic waves, respectively. Rates among people living in Arab or mixed localities were higher compared with those living in Jewish localities in 3 of the 5 waves. Vaccine uptake revealed a clear social gradient, with the percentage of the population being vaccinated gradually increasing from cluster 1 (the lowest) to the higher clusters. The relative difference between the lowest and highest SE clusters increased from 2.4 in the first vaccine dose to 5.5 in the third and fourth doses. Ethnic disparities also grew with vaccine dose, with a Jewish to an Arab rate ratio of 1.1, 1.2, 1.6, and 4.5 for vaccine doses 1,2,3, and 4, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Covering 26 consecutive months of the COVID-19 pandemic at the national level, the current study demonstrates that despite high accessibility of tests and vaccines to the entirety of the population and tailored outreach efforts, socioeconomic, and ethnic disparities not only failed to diminish, but they even widened along the five pandemic waves. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The pandemic exposed the vulnerability of the weakest segments of the population. Therefore, the combined action of the Ministry of Health, health providers, and local authorities is required to further adapt health messages to the cultural characteristics of diverse populations, to equip the health professionals with practical tools to promote healthy choices among the vulnerable populations, and to build communities that promote healthy lifestyles. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of reducing health disparities and building trust between vulnerable populations and the healthcare system during "normal" or routine times, to better prepare for times of emergencies, such as the current pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Osnat Luxenburg
- Medical TechnologyHealth Information and Research DirectorateMinistry of HealthJerusalemIsrael
| | - Clara Singer
- The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy ResearchRamat GanIsrael
| | - Arielle Kaim
- The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy ResearchRamat GanIsrael,Department of Emergency Management and Disaster MedicineSchool of Public HealthSackler Faculty of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Mor Saban
- The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy ResearchRamat GanIsrael
| | - Rachel Wilf‐Miron
- The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy ResearchRamat GanIsrael,Department of Health PromotionSchool of Public HealthSackler Faculty of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Porter A, Brown CC, Rodriguez A, Zohoori N, Wells S, Crump A, Romero J, Tilford JM. Variation in Time Between Testing Positive for COVID-19 and Hospital Admission by Race/Ethnicity and Insurance Status. J Health Care Poor Underserved 2023; 34:1290-1304. [PMID: 38661756 PMCID: PMC11101062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the extent to which demographic and socioeconomic factors play a role in the disparities associated with duration between testing positive for COVID-19 and hospital admission will help in achieving equitable health outcomes. This project linked the statewide COVID-19 registry to administrative datasets to examine the variation in times between testing positive for COVID-19 and hospital admission by race/ethnicity and insurance. In 2020, there were 11,314 patients admitted for COVID-19 in Arkansas. Approximately 42.2% tested positive for COVID-19 on the same day as hospital admission. Black patients had 38% higher odds of hospitalization on the day of testing compared with White patients (p<.001). Medicaid and uninsured patients had 51% and 50% higher odds of admission on the day of testing compared with privately insured patients (both p<.001), respectively. This study highlights the implications of reduced access to testing with respect to equitable health outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Austin Porter
- Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205
- Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock, AR 72205
| | - Clare C. Brown
- Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205
| | - Analiz Rodriguez
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
| | - Namvar Zohoori
- Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock, AR 72205
- Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205
| | - Samantha Wells
- Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205
| | - Alisha Crump
- Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205
| | - José Romero
- Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock, AR 72205
| | - J. Mick Tilford
- Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Salisu M, Blackwell T, Lewis G, Hoglund MW, DiVittis A, Chahal K, Samuels C, Boutin-Foster C, Montgomery D, Afable A. Community Perceptions of Health Equity: A Qualitative Study. J Prim Care Community Health 2023; 14:21501319231211439. [PMID: 37978842 PMCID: PMC10657528 DOI: 10.1177/21501319231211439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Notable inequities in patient experiences exist in the healthcare system. Communities with a large concentration of blacks and immigrants are often marginalized rather than centralized in the healthcare system. These inequities may fuel distrust and exacerbate adverse outcomes, thereby widening the health gap. Addressing differences in patients' experiences of care is paramount for reducing health inequities. METHODS In this qualitative study, we used a purposive sampling method to recruit 62 participants to conduct 10 FGs (44 participants total) and 18 key informant interviews with stakeholders across Central Brooklyn. RESULTS The data revealed three primary themes: Trust, Discrimination, and Social Determinants of Health (SDOHs). Each theme comprised subthemes as follows: For Trust, the subthemes included (1) confidence in the healthcare professional, (2) provider empathy, and (3) active participation in healthcare decisions. Regarding Discrimination, the subthemes involved (1) racism and identity, as well as (2) stigma related to diagnosis, disease state, and pain management. Lastly, for Social Determinants of Health, the key subtheme was the acknowledgment by providers that patients encounter competing priorities acting as barriers to care, such as housing instability and food insecurity. For the first theme, participants' interactions with the healthcare system were prompted by a necessity for medical attention, and not by trust. The participants reported that experiences of discrimination resulting from identity and stigma associated with diagnosis, disease state, and pain management amplified the disconnect between the community, the patients, and the healthcare system. This also exacerbated the poor healthcare experiences suffered by many people of color. For SDOHs, the participants identified housing, food security, and other various social factors that may undermine the effectiveness of the healthcare that patients receive. CONCLUSIONS Improvements in the health system, based on feedback from patients of color regarding their unique care experiences, are important initiatives in combating inequities in healthcare.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Salisu
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Tenya Blackwell
- Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health (AAIUH), SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | | | - Mark W Hoglund
- School of Public Health, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | | | - Kunika Chahal
- Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Chellandra Samuels
- Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Carla Boutin-Foster
- Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Douglas Montgomery
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Aimee Afable
- School of Public Health, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Laskaris Z, Hirschtick JL, Xie Y, McKane P, Fleischer NL. COVID-19 in the workplace: Self-reported source of exposure and availability of personal protective equipment by industry and occupation in Michigan. Am J Ind Med 2022; 65:994-1005. [PMID: 36151779 PMCID: PMC9538823 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.23430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Fragmented industry and occupation surveillance data throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has left public health practitioners and organizations with an insufficient understanding of high-risk worker groups and the role of work in SARS-CoV-2 transmission. METHODS We drew sequential probability samples of noninstitutionalized adults (18+) in the Michigan Disease Surveillance System with COVID-19 onset before November 16, 2020 (N = 237,468). Among the 6000 selected, 1839 completed a survey between June 23, 2020, and April 23, 2021. We compared in-person work status, source of self-reported SARS-CoV-2 exposure, and availability of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) by industry and occupation using weighted descriptive statistics and Rao-Scott χ2 tests. We identified industries with a disproportionate share of COVID-19 infections by comparing our sample with the total share of employment by industry in Michigan using 2020 data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. RESULTS Employed respondents (n = 1244) were predominantly female (53.1%), aged 44 and under (54.4%), and non-Hispanic White (64.0%). 30.4% of all employed respondents reported work as the source of their SARS-CoV-2 exposure and 78.8% were in-person workers. Work-related exposure was prevalent in Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (65.2%); Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (63.3%); and Food Manufacturing (57.5%). By occupation, work-related exposure was highest among Protective Services (57.9%), Healthcare Support (56.5%), and Healthcare Practitioners (51.9%). Food Manufacturing; Nursing and Residential Care; and Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities were most likely to report having adequate PPE "never" or "rarely" (36.4%, 27.9%, and 26.7%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Workplaces were a key source of self-reported SARS-CoV-2 exposure among employed Michigan residents during the first year of the pandemic. To prevent transmission, there is an urgent need in public health surveillance for the collection of industry and occupation data of people infected with COVID-19, as well as for future airborne infectious diseases for which we have little understanding of risk factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zoey Laskaris
- Department of EpidemiologyUniversity of Michigan School of Public HealthAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Jana L. Hirschtick
- Department of EpidemiologyUniversity of Michigan School of Public HealthAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Yanmei Xie
- Department of EpidemiologyUniversity of Michigan School of Public HealthAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Patricia McKane
- Michigan Department of Health and Human ServicesLifecourse Epidemiology and Genomics DivisionLansingMichiganUSA
| | - Nancy L. Fleischer
- Department of EpidemiologyUniversity of Michigan School of Public HealthAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Gorbach PM, Rosen AD, Moore R, Shoptaw S, Mustanski B, Mehta SH, Kirk GD, Baum MK, Milloy MJ, Hayashi K, DeBeck K, Kipke M, Lai S, Siminski S, Javanbakht M. Use of COVID-19 testing in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic among cohorts of people at the intersection of drug use and HIV. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 241:109622. [PMID: 36123252 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
People living with (PLWH) and at risk for HIV and people who use drugs (PWUD) are at heightened risk for health consequences of COVID-19 because of compromised immunity and high comorbidities. We studied their use of COVID-19 testing during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight NIDA funded cohorts across North America in the Collaborating Consortium of Cohorts Producing NIDA Opportunities (C3PNO) administered multiple waves of a COVID-19 survey. Respondents were at least 18 years of age, half PLWH, and many active substance users. Wave one of the COVID-19 survey was May-November, 2020 and wave two October 2020-April 2021. Associations of COVID-19 testing with demographics, socio-demographics, substance use, and HIV-status were assessed. Of the 3762 responses from 2331 individuals, half reported ever COVID-19 testing (49.1 %), with 4.3 % reporting a positive test (163/3762 surveys=4.3 %) and 41.5 % of people reporting current symptoms reported having been tested. In multivariable analysis adjusting for age, sex, and cohort type associations with COVID-19 testing included African American/Black identification compared to Caucasian/white (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)= 0.68; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.53, 0.88); being unemployed (AOR=0.61; 95 % CI 0.51, 0.73), and living with HIV (AOR=0.76; 95 % CI0.65, 0.90). Findings from these C3PNO COVID-19 modules suggests that in the first year of the pandemic COVID-19 testing was not broadly accessed by these marginalized populations including PLWH and those unemployed. Factors associated with not testing may also parallel those for vaccination and identify populations needing better access to COVID-19 prevention.
Collapse
|
45
|
Jefferson C, Watson E, Certa JM, Gordon KS, Park LS, D’Souza G, Benning L, Abraham AG, Agil D, Napravnik S, Silverberg MJ, Leyden WA, Skarbinski J, Williams C, Althoff KN, Horberg MA. Differences in COVID-19 testing and adverse outcomes by race, ethnicity, sex, and health system setting in a large diverse US cohort. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0276742. [PMID: 36417366 PMCID: PMC9683575 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Racial/ethnic disparities during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic led to differences in COVID-19 testing and adverse outcomes. We examine differences in testing and adverse outcomes by race/ethnicity and sex across a geographically diverse and system-based COVID-19 cohort collaboration. METHODS Observational study among adults (≥18 years) within six US cohorts from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020 using data from electronic health record and patient reporting. Race/ethnicity and sex as risk factors were primary exposures, with health system type (integrated health system, academic health system, or interval cohort) as secondary. Proportions measured SARS-CoV-2 testing and positivity; attributed hospitalization and death related to COVID-19. Relative risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals quantified associations between exposures and main outcomes. RESULTS 5,958,908 patients were included. Hispanic patients had the highest proportions of SARS-CoV-2 testing (16%) and positivity (18%), while Asian/Pacific Islander patients had the lowest portions tested (11%) and White patients had the lowest positivity rates (5%). Men had a lower likelihood of testing (RR = 0.90 [0.89-0.90]) and a higher positivity risk (RR = 1.16 [1.14-1.18]) compared to women. Black patients were more likely to have COVID-19-related hospitalizations (RR = 1.36 [1.28-1.44]) and death (RR = 1.17 [1.03-1.32]) compared with White patients. Men were more likely to be hospitalized (RR = 1.30 [1.16-1.22]) or die (RR = 1.70 [1.53-1.89]) compared to women. These racial/ethnic and sex differences were reflected in both health system types. CONCLUSIONS This study supports evidence of disparities by race/ethnicity and sex during the COVID-19 pandemic that persisted even in healthcare settings with reduced barriers to accessing care. Further research is needed to understand and prevent the drivers that resulted in higher burdens of morbidity among certain Black patients and men.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Celeena Jefferson
- Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Eric Watson
- Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Julia M. Certa
- United Health Group, Fredrick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kirsha S. Gordon
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Lesley S. Park
- Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, United States of America
| | - Gypsyamber D’Souza
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lorie Benning
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Alison G. Abraham
- Department of Epidemiology, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Deana Agil
- Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Sonia Napravnik
- Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Silverberg
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Wendy A. Leyden
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Jacek Skarbinski
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Carolyn Williams
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Keri N. Althoff
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Michael A. Horberg
- Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Xiao Y, Sharma MM, Thiruvalluru RK, Gimbrone C, Weissman MM, Olfson M, Keyes KM, Pathak J. Trends in psychiatric diagnoses by COVID-19 infection and hospitalization among patients with and without recent clinical psychiatric diagnoses in New York city from March 2020 to August 2021. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:492. [PMID: 36414624 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02255-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining emerging trends of clinical psychiatric diagnoses among patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is important to understand post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection or long COVID. However, published reports accounting for pre-COVID psychiatric diagnoses have usually relied on self-report rather than clinical diagnoses. Using electronic health records (EHRs) among 2,358,318 patients from the New York City (NYC) metropolitan region, this time series study examined changes in clinical psychiatric diagnoses between March 2020 and August 2021 with month as the unit of analysis. We compared trends in patients with and without recent pre-COVID clinical psychiatric diagnoses noted in the EHRs up to 3 years before the first COVID-19 test. Patients with recent clinical psychiatric diagnoses, as compared to those without, had more subsequent anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and psychosis throughout the study period. Substance use disorders were greater between March and August 2020 among patients without any recent clinical psychiatric diagnoses than those with. COVID-19 positive patients (both hospitalized and non-hospitalized) had greater post-COVID psychiatric diagnoses than COVID-19 negative patients. Among patients with recent clinical psychiatric diagnoses, psychiatric diagnoses have decreased since January 2021, regardless of COVID-19 infection/hospitalization. However, among patients without recent clinical psychiatric diagnoses, new anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and psychosis diagnoses increased between February and August 2021 among all patients (COVID-19 positive and negative). The greatest increases were anxiety disorders (378.7%) and mood disorders (269.0%) among COVID-19 positive non-hospitalized patients. New clinical psychosis diagnoses increased by 242.5% among COVID-19 negative patients. This study is the first to delineate the impact of COVID-19 on different clinical psychiatric diagnoses by pre-COVID psychiatric diagnoses and COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations across NYC, one of the hardest-hit US cities in the early pandemic. Our findings suggest the need for tailoring treatment and policies to meet the needs of individuals with pre-COVID psychiatric diagnoses.
Collapse
|
47
|
Ling-Hu T, Rios-Guzman E, Lorenzo-Redondo R, Ozer EA, Hultquist JF. Challenges and Opportunities for Global Genomic Surveillance Strategies in the COVID-19 Era. Viruses 2022; 14:2532. [PMID: 36423141 PMCID: PMC9698389 DOI: 10.3390/v14112532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Global SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance efforts have provided critical data on the ongoing evolution of the virus to inform best practices in clinical care and public health throughout the pandemic. Impactful genomic surveillance strategies generally follow a multi-disciplinary pipeline involving clinical sample collection, viral genotyping, metadata linkage, data reporting, and public health responses. Unfortunately, current limitations in each of these steps have compromised the overall effectiveness of these strategies. Biases from convenience-based sampling methods can obfuscate the true distribution of circulating variants. The lack of standardization in genotyping strategies and bioinformatic expertise can create bottlenecks in data processing and complicate interpretation. Limitations and inconsistencies in clinical and demographic data collection and sharing can slow the compilation and limit the utility of comprehensive datasets. This likewise can complicate data reporting, restricting the availability of timely data. Finally, gaps and delays in the implementation of genomic surveillance data in the public health sphere can prevent officials from formulating effective mitigation strategies to prevent outbreaks. In this review, we outline current SARS-CoV-2 global genomic surveillance methods and assess roadblocks at each step of the pipeline to identify potential solutions. Evaluating the current obstacles that impede effective surveillance can improve both global coordination efforts and pandemic preparedness for future outbreaks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ted Ling-Hu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Robert J. Havey, MD Institute for Global Health, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Estefany Rios-Guzman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Robert J. Havey, MD Institute for Global Health, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ramon Lorenzo-Redondo
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Robert J. Havey, MD Institute for Global Health, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Egon A. Ozer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Robert J. Havey, MD Institute for Global Health, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Judd F. Hultquist
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Robert J. Havey, MD Institute for Global Health, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Boing AF, Boing AC, Veras MA, de Lacerda JT, da Silva RLP, Barbato PR, Fabrin C, Subramanian SV. Area-level inequalities in Covid-19 outcomes in Brazil in 2020 and 2021: An analysis of 1,894,165 severe Covid-19 cases. Prev Med 2022; 164:107298. [PMID: 36220401 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The study aims to analyze inequalities in Covid-19 outcomes in Brazil in 2020/2021 according to the per capita Gross Domestic Product (pcGDP) of municipalities. All cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) who were hospitalized or died, regardless of hospitalization, registered in Brazil in 2020 and 2021 were analyzed (n = 2,902,742), including those with a confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19 (n = 1,894,165). We calculated lethality due to Covid-19, the performance of diagnostic tests among patients with SARS, and the hospital care received by those with Covid-19 according to the pcGDP of the patients' municipalities of residence. Data were analyzed for each epidemiological week and the risk of each outcome was estimated using Poisson regression. Municipalities in the lowest pcGDP decile had (i) 30% (95%CI 28%-32%) higher lethality from Covid-19, (ii) three times higher proportion of patients with SARS without the collection of biological material for the diagnosis of Covid-19, (iii) 16% (95%CI 15%-16%) higher proportion of SARS patients testing in a period longer than two days from the onset of symptoms, (iv) 140% (95%CI 134%-145%) higher absence of CT scan use. There is deep socioeconomic inequality among Brazilian municipalities regarding the occurrence of Covid-19 negative outcomes.
Collapse
|
49
|
Collie-Akers VL, Ablah E, Landry S, Honn A, Mussulman L, Ricketts M, Carter T, Wright U, Watson C, Liu B, Crawford B, Greiner KA, Ellerbeck EF. Understanding Barriers to COVID-19 Testing Among Rural and Urban Populations in Kansas. Am J Public Health 2022; 112:S874-S877. [PMID: 36265091 PMCID: PMC9707727 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2022.306978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vicki L Collie-Akers
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Elizabeth Ablah
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Sarah Landry
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Allison Honn
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Laura Mussulman
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Mary Ricketts
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Tony Carter
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Ullyses Wright
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Christal Watson
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Bing Liu
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Broderick Crawford
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - K Allen Greiner
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Edward F Ellerbeck
- Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Sarah Landry, and Edward F. Ellerbeck are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Elizabeth Ablah and Allison Honn are with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Laura Mussulman is with the Clinical Translational Science Unit, University of Kansas Medical Center, Fairway. Mary Ricketts is with Turning Point Training and Consultation, Overland Park, KS. Tony Carter is with Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS. Ullyses Wright is an at-large community member, Overland Park. Christal Watson is with the Kansas City, Kansas, Schools Foundation. Bing Liu is with the Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City. Broderick Crawford is with NBC Community Development Corp, Kansas City, KS. K. Allen Greiner is with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Gouse I, Walters S, Miller-Archie S, Singh T, Lim S. The role of housing characteristics in racial and ethnic disparities in SARS-CoV-2 antibody seropositivity among New York City adults: A population representative study. Prev Med 2022; 164:107287. [PMID: 36208819 PMCID: PMC9533632 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Black and Latino populations have been disproportionately burdened by COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Subsidized housing, crowding, and neighborhood poverty might be associated with increased COVID-19 transmission and play a role in observed racial and ethnic disparities, yet research is limited. Our study investigated whether these housing variables mediate the relationship between race and ethnicity and SARS-CoV-2 antibody seropositivity among New York City (NYC) adults. We analyzed data from a SARS-CoV-2 serosurvey (n = 1074), nested within the 2020 cross-sectional NYC Community Health Survey (June-October 2020). We defined SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity as either a positive blood test for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies or a self-reported positive test result. We used causal mediation analyses to test whether subsidized housing, crowding, and neighborhood poverty mediate a relationship between race and ethnicity and seropositivity. After controlling for potential confounding, we found elevated prevalence ratios of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity among Black (APR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.10-2.73) and Latino (APR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.05-2.37) residents compared with White residents and for those living in crowded housing (APR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.03-2.12) and high-poverty neighborhoods (APR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.12-2.11) but not for subsidized housing. We observed statistically significant natural direct effects for all three mediators. While living in crowded housing and high-poverty neighborhoods contributed to racial and ethnic disparities in seropositivity the estimated contribution from living in subsidized housing was -9% (Black) and - 14% (Latino). Our findings revealed racial and ethnic disparities in seropositivity of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among NYC adults. Unlike crowding and neighborhood poverty, living in subsidized housing did not explain racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Gouse
- Bureau of Epidemiology Services, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28(th) St, 7(th) Floor, Queens, NY 11101, United States of America.
| | - Sarah Walters
- Bureau of Epidemiology Services, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28(th) St, 7(th) Floor, Queens, NY 11101, United States of America
| | - Sara Miller-Archie
- Bureau of Epidemiology Services, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28(th) St, 7(th) Floor, Queens, NY 11101, United States of America
| | - Tejinder Singh
- Bureau of Epidemiology Services, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28(th) St, 7(th) Floor, Queens, NY 11101, United States of America
| | - Sungwoo Lim
- Bureau of Epidemiology Services, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28(th) St, 7(th) Floor, Queens, NY 11101, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|