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Published on: April 9, 2021
Socioeconomic and immigration status and COVID-19 testing in Toronto, Ontario: retrospective cross-sectional study
Braden O'Neill1,2,3, Sumeet Kalia4, Susan Hum5,6
1MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Canada. braden.oneill@unityhealth.to.
Background:
Preliminary evidence suggests that individuals living in lower income neighbourhoods are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection. The relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 risk warrants further study.
Methods:
We explored the association between COVID-19 test positivity and patients' socio-demographic variables, using neighborhood sociodemographic data collected retrospectively from two COVID-19 Assessment Centres in Toronto, ON.
Results:
Eighty-three thousand four hundred forty three COVID-19 tests completed between April 5-September 30, 2020, were analyzed. Individuals living in neighbourhoods with the lowest income or highest concentration of immigrants were 3.4 (95% CI: 2.7 to 4.9) and 2.5 (95% CI: 1.8 to 3.7) times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 than those in highest income or lowest immigrant neighbourhoods, respectively. Testing was higher among individuals from higher income neighbourhoods, at lowest COVID-19 risk, compared with those from low-income neighbourhoods.
Conclusions:
Targeted efforts are needed to improve testing availability in high-risk regions. These same strategies may also ensure equitable COVID-19 vaccine delivery.
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