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. 2022 Nov;28(11):2171-2180.
doi: 10.3201/eid2811.220072. Epub 2022 Oct 3.

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Exposure, Disease Susceptibility, and Clinical Outcomes during COVID-19 Pandemic in National Cohort of Adults, United States

McKaylee M Robertson, Meghana G Shamsunder, Ellen Brazier, Mekhala Mantravadi, Rebecca Zimba, Madhura S Rane, Drew A Westmoreland, Angela M Parcesepe, Andrew R Maroko, Sarah G Kulkarni, Christian Grov, Denis Nash

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Exposure, Disease Susceptibility, and Clinical Outcomes during COVID-19 Pandemic in National Cohort of Adults, United States

McKaylee M Robertson et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2022 Nov.

Abstract

We examined racial/ethnic disparities for COVID-19 seroconversion and hospitalization within a prospective cohort (n = 6,740) in the United States enrolled in March 2020 and followed-up through October 2021. Potential SARS-CoV-2 exposure, susceptibility to COVID-19 complications, and access to healthcare varied by race/ethnicity. Hispanic and Black non-Hispanic participants had more exposure risk and difficulty with healthcare access than white participants. Participants with more exposure had greater odds of seroconversion. Participants with more susceptibility and more barriers to healthcare had greater odds of hospitalization. Race/ethnicity positively modified the association between susceptibility and hospitalization. Findings might help to explain the disproportionate burden of SARS-CoV-2 infections and complications among Hispanic/Latino/a and Black non-Hispanic persons. Primary and secondary prevention efforts should address disparities in exposure, vaccination, and treatment for COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; United States; clinical outcomes; coronavirus disease; coronaviruses; disease; healthcare access; healthcare disparities; potential virus exposure; racial/ethnic disparities; respiratory infections; serologic testing; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; social determinants of health; susceptibility; viruses; zoonoses.

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