TDNet Discover

Background: SARS-CoV-2 is a newly discovered strain of coronavirus that has caused a global pandemic in 2020. As of August 2021, the United States has accounted for 39 million COVID19 cases and 637 thousand COVID-19 related deaths, both of which are highest of any country reported. Different racial groups and ethnicities appear to be affected differently by this pandemic. Early studies revealed racial disparities in COVID-19 infection and death rate. Objective: To evaluate potential racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 infection and death rates in the United States after one year to 16 months of population exposure. This research was designed to obtain quantitative data regarding potential racial and ethnic disparities in the COVID-19 pandemic to help guide further investigation and discussion on contributing factors in the healthcare field and in society as a whole. Study Design: A database review and data extraction study design was utilized for this research. Methods: Hotspots were selected based on consistency and reliability of COVID-19 racial and ethnic data reporting. Review of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID Data Tracker and The COVID Tracking Project from The Atlantic in conjunction with a data extraction was completed by the researchers using a data extraction tool. All researchers completed their own data extraction, and subsequently reviewed the other researchers’ extractions to ensure accuracy of data. Investigated racial groups included White non-Hispanic, Black non-Hispanic, and Hispanic. Statistical analysis included odds ratio and Dunnett’s multiple comparison tests. Results: Differences between the Black non-Hispanic group and White non-Hispanic group were not statistically significant in risk of positive test or risk of death (adjusted p-values: 0.0637 and 0.6117, respectively). Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference in the risk of v death between the Hispanic group and the White non-Hispanic group (adjusted p-value: 0.2745). Conversely, the Hispanic group was at a significantly higher risk of receiving a positive COVID19 test as compared to the White non-Hispanic group in the investigated hotspots (adjusted pvalue: 0.0319). Although several of the aforementioned comparisons did not have statistical significance, there were several trends observed. The Black non-Hispanic group was 38% more likely to receive a positive test and 27% more likely to die of COVID-19 than the White nonHispanic group. Similarly, the Hispanic group was 2x more likely to receive a positive test and 14% more likely to die of COVID-19 than the White non-Hispanic group. Conclusion: The hypothesis “there is a statistically significant difference in number of COVID19 cases, patient outcome, and mortality in racial and ethnic minority groups as compared to the White population, after 1 year to 16 months of population exposure” is rejected. However, several trends observed in this research suggest racial disparities within the COVID-19 pandemic.