Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 30, 2025

Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs
07:13

Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs

Published on: April 9, 2021

4.3K

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19: Evidence from Six Large Cities

Joseph Benitez1, Charles Courtemanche2, Aaron Yelowitz2

  • 1Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536 USA.

Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy
|March 18, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Racial and ethnic disparities in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases are significant in the USA. Higher COVID-19 case rates, not higher fatality rates, explain the disproportionate impact on Black and Hispanic communities.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Health Disparities

Background:

  • The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minority groups in the USA.
  • Understanding the drivers of these disparities is crucial for effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine racial and ethnic disparities in confirmed COVID-19 cases and fatalities at the ZIP code level across six diverse US cities.
  • To identify factors contributing to these disparities, controlling for a wide range of demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related variables.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of COVID-19 data linked to demographic, socioeconomic, housing, occupation, transportation, healthcare access, long-run opportunity, human mobility, and population health data.
  • ZIP code-level analysis across Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, New York City, San Diego, and St. Louis.
  • Examination of COVID-19 fatalities in Chicago and New York City.

Main Results:

  • ZIP codes with higher proportions of Black and Hispanic residents showed statistically significant increases in COVID-19 cases per capita.
  • Hispanic residents had a larger disparity in cases compared to Black residents.
  • While some disparities were explained by factors like long-run opportunity and human mobility, most remained unexplained.
  • Higher COVID-19 case rates, rather than higher fatality rates, accounted for the majority of observed disparities in fatalities in Chicago and New York City.

Conclusions:

  • Significant racial and ethnic disparities exist in COVID-19 incidence across US cities.
  • These disparities are largely driven by higher case rates in Black and Hispanic communities, not necessarily higher individual fatality risk.
  • Further research is needed to understand the unexplained factors contributing to these disparities.

Keywords:
COVID-19CoronavirusEthnic disparitiesHealth disparitiesRacial disparities

More Related Videos

Quantification and Whole Genome Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater and Air Samples09:26

Quantification and Whole Genome Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater and Air Samples

Published on: June 30, 2023

1.3K
Author Spotlight: Advancements in Multiplex Detection of Respiratory Viruses03:53

Author Spotlight: Advancements in Multiplex Detection of Respiratory Viruses

Published on: November 10, 2023

1.4K

Related Concept Videos

Bias in Epidemiological Studies01:29

Bias in Epidemiological Studies

Biases can arise at various stages of research, from study design and data collection to analysis and interpretation. Recognizing and addressing these biases is essential to ensure the validity and reliability of epidemiological findings.Broadly speaking, biases in epidemiology fall into three main categories: selection bias, information bias, and confounding. A more detailed description of possible biases is:  
746
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination02:55

Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who...
92.0K
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs01:05

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs

A single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP is a single nucleotide variation at a specific genomic position in a large population. It is the most prevalent type of sequence variation found in the human genome. Point mutations that occur in more than 1% of the population qualify as SNPs. These are present once every 1000 nucleotides on an average in the human genome. Replacement of a purine with another purine (A/G) or a pyrimidine with another pyrimidine (C/T) is known as a transition. In contrast,...
16.1K
Confounding in Epidemiological Studies01:27

Confounding in Epidemiological Studies

Confounding in statistical epidemiology represents a pivotal challenge, referring to the distortion in the perceived relationship between an exposure and an outcome due to the presence of a third variable, known as a confounder. This variable is associated with both the exposure and the outcome but is not a direct link in their causal chain. Its presence can lead to erroneous interpretations of the exposure's effect, either exaggerating or underestimating the true association. This...
291
Statistical Methods for Analyzing Epidemiological Data01:25

Statistical Methods for Analyzing Epidemiological Data

Epidemiological data primarily involves information on specific populations' occurrence, distribution, and determinants of health and diseases. This data is crucial for understanding disease patterns and impacts, aiding public health decision-making and disease prevention strategies. The analysis of epidemiological data employs various statistical methods to interpret health-related data effectively. Here are some commonly used methods:
582
Causality in Epidemiology01:21

Causality in Epidemiology

Causality or causation is a fundamental concept in epidemiology, vital for understanding the relationships between various factors and health outcomes. Despite its importance, there's no single, universally accepted definition of causality within the discipline. Drawing from a systematic review, causality in epidemiology encompasses several definitions, including production, necessary and sufficient, sufficient-component, counterfactual, and probabilistic models. Each has its strengths and...
1.0K