Protection of racial/ethnic minority populations during an influenza pandemic

Abstract

Racial/ethnic minority populations experience worse health outcomes than do other groups during and after disasters. Evidence for a differential impact from pandemic influenza includes both higher rates of underlying health conditions in minority populations, increasing their risk of influenza-related complications, and larger socioeconomic (e.g., access to health care), cultural, educational, and linguistic barriers to adoption of pandemic interventions. Implementation of pandemic interventions could be optimized by (1) culturally competent preparedness and response that address specific needs of racial/ethnic minority populations, (2) improvements in public health and community health safety net systems, (3) social policies that minimize economic burdens and improve compliance with isolation and quarantine, and (4) relevant, practical, and culturally and linguistically tailored communications.

FIGURE 1

Age-adjusted all-cause mortality: United States, 1900–1999. Note. Age-adjusted to the 1940 standard population (per 100 000 population). ^aNon-White from 1900–1963, and Black or African American from 1964–1999.Source. Adapted from Levine RS et al., Figure 2-1A.

FIGURE 2

Annual, age-adjusted overall pneumonia and influenza mortality by race/ethnicity: United States, 1950–2005. Note. Mortality is per 100 000 population. Source. National Center for Health Statistics.

FIGURE 3

Annual influenza vaccination coverage among persons aged 65 years and older by race/ethnicity: United States, 1989–2006. Source. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.