Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection, 22 US States and DC, January 1–October 1, 2020
NaTasha D. Hollis, Li Wen, Miriam E. Van Dyke, Gibril J. Njie, Heather M. Scobie, Erin Parker, Ana Penman‐Aguilar, Kristie E.N. Clarke
Abstract
H ealth disparities among racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States are closely related to structural inequities in social determinants of health. Some racial/ethnic minority groups have disproportionate rates of underlying conditions that increase the risk for severe illness from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) (1,2). Certain groups are overrepresented in occupations that require public contact, have crowded conditions, or are unamenable to telework, increasing the risk for exposure to severe acute respiratory infection coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes Structural inequities in housing, education, wealth, and healthcare access also increase disparities in infection and COVID-related illness and death (5-8).