Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 30, 2025

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
05:31

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels

Published on: August 7, 2017

10.4K

Effect Modification of Racial Differences in Pediatric COVID-19 Inpatient Admissions in a Large Healthcare Database

Dave Watson1, Alicen Spaulding1, Laura Norton1

  • 1From the Research Institute, Children's Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|May 12, 2023
PubMed

Insights

COVID-19 inpatient rates were higher for Black children compared to White children, especially older children and those with complex comorbidities. These disparities highlight potential impacts of structural racism in pediatric healthcare.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Health Disparities
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities.
  • Existing research indicates more severe COVID-19 outcomes in minority populations compared to non-Hispanic White populations.
  • This study focuses on pediatric COVID-19 disparities across various effect modifiers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how COVID-19 inpatient rates differ between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White pediatric patients.
  • To analyze these disparities across specific subgroups defined by age, comorbidities, time, and geography.
  • To identify key factors influencing racial disparities in pediatric COVID-19 severity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the TriNetX Dataworks Network for data from April 2020 to September 2021.
  • Compared inpatient rates for pediatric COVID-19 cases between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White patients.
  • Employed propensity score matching and analyzed subgroups based on age, complex comorbidities, quarter, and region.

Main Results:

  • Included 47,487 pediatric COVID-19 cases (13,130 Black patients).
  • Black children generally had higher inpatient rates across most subgroups.
  • Disparities were most pronounced in older children (12-18 years) and those with complex comorbidities, with Black children showing significantly higher rates.

Conclusions:

  • Higher inpatient rates for Black pediatric COVID-19 patients were observed in older children and those with complex comorbidities.
  • Findings suggest that age and comorbidity status are significant effect modifiers for racial disparities in pediatric COVID-19.
  • Results warrant further investigation into root causes, including structural racism, to address these health inequities.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs07:13

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

Published on: April 9, 2021

4.3K
Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Propensity Score using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index06:55

Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Propensity Score using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index

Published on: January 8, 2020

14.5K

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:  
400
Regression Toward the Mean01:52

Regression Toward the Mean

Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when...
6.3K
Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives01:14

Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives

The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
2.0K
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
12.1K
Factors Affecting Illness01:18

Factors Affecting Illness

When a person's physical, emotional, intellectual, social development or spiritual functioning is compromised, this deviation from a healthy normal state is called illness. Illness creates stress that in turn harms individuals. Irritation, anger, denial, hopelessness, and fear are behavioral and emotional changes an individual experiences in the phases of illness. A variety of factors influence a person's health and well-being.
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
4.3K
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...
209