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Disparities in SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Arab Americans Living in Southeast Michigan
Elkhansa Sidahmed1,2, Ramin Homayouni3,4, Karen Childers5
1Corewell Health East, Beaumont Research Institute, Royal Oak, MI, USA. elkhansa.sidahmed@corewellhealth.org.
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
|February 24, 2025
Summary
Arab Americans (ArA) faced a significantly higher risk of COVID-19 infection compared to Caucasian (CA) individuals during the pandemic. Further research is needed to understand and mitigate these disparities in infection risk.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Disparities
Background:
- COVID-19 disproportionately impacted minority groups in the USA.
- Limited research exists on the COVID-19 impact on the Arab American (ArA) population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential disparities in COVID-19 outcomes between Arab Americans (ArA) and Caucasian (CA) populations.
- To analyze infection rates, hospitalization, mortality, and readmission between ArA and CA groups.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 110,896 adult patients tested for SARS-CoV-2.
- Data collected from eight emergency departments in Southeast Michigan (March 2020 - July 2022).
- Univariate and adjusted analyses considering demographics and comorbidities.
Main Results:
- ArA had 2.16 times higher odds of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 compared to CA.
- ArA had significantly lower odds of hospitalization (OR 0.69) compared to CA.
- Adjusted analysis confirmed higher infection odds for ArA (aOR 2.10) with no significant differences in other outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Arab Americans experienced a significantly higher risk of COVID-19 infection.
- Findings highlight the need for further research into contributing factors and risk reduction strategies for ArA.
- Understanding and addressing these disparities is crucial for future pandemic preparedness.
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