Racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths in Georgia

William T Hu1, Aimee P Hu2

  • 1Emory University School of Medicine.

Insights

Black Americans experienced disproportionately higher COVID-19 death rates in Georgia compared to their population share. Factors like air pollution and rural settings exacerbated these racial health disparities.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Health Disparities Research

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted significant racial health disparities in the US.
  • Limited formal analysis exists on factors driving these disparities due to data inconsistencies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To formally analyze factors associated with racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths in Georgia.
  • To examine the over-representation of Black Americans in COVID-19 mortality data.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized county-level data from Georgia Department of Public Health and County Health Rankings & Roadmaps.
  • Employed principal component analysis on health outcomes and social determinants of health for 46 counties.

Main Results:

  • Black Americans constituted 46% of COVID-19 deaths despite being 31.5% of Georgia's population.
  • Disparities varied geographically, with higher impact in Fulton County (Atlanta) and surrounding counties of Albany, Columbus, and Macon.
  • Greater racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths correlated with worse air pollution, rurality, and higher mammography screening adherence.

Conclusions:

  • COVID-19 and associated healthcare factors disproportionately impact Black Americans.
  • Environmental and social determinants of health significantly contribute to observed racial disparities in COVID-19 mortality.

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