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Reviews of "Health Disparities and COVID-19: A Retrospective Study Examining Individual and Community Factors Causing Disproportionate COVID-19 Outcomes in Cook County, Illinois, March 16-May 31, 2020"

Reviewers: Philip Schluter (University of Canterbury) | πŸ“’πŸ“’πŸ“’β—»οΈβ—»οΈ β€’ Zahid Butt (University of Waterloo) | πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—β—»οΈ

Published onSep 10, 2020
Reviews of "Health Disparities and COVID-19: A Retrospective Study Examining Individual and Community Factors Causing Disproportionate COVID-19 Outcomes in Cook County, Illinois, March 16-May 31, 2020"
key-enterThis Pub is a Review of
Health Disparities and COVID-19: A Retrospective Study Examining Individual and Community Factors Causing Disproportionate COVID-19 Outcomes in Cook County, Illinois, March 16-May 31, 2020
Description

Background: Early data from the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that the disease has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color causing higher infection and mortality rates within those communities. Methods: This study used demographic data from the 2018 US census estimates, mortality data from the Cook County Medical Examiners office, and testing results from the Illinois Department of Public Health to perform both bivariate and multivariate regression analyses to explore the role race plays in COVID-19 outcomes at the individual and community levels. Results: Principal findings show that: 1) while Black Americans make up 22% of Cook County population, they account for 36% of the county COVID-19 related deaths; 2) the average age of death from COVID-19 is seven years younger for minorities compared to Non-Hispanic White (White) decedents; 3) minorities were more likely than Whites to have seven of the top 10 co-morbidities at death; 4) residents of predominantly minority areas were twice as likely to test positive for COVID-19 (p = 0.0001, IRR 1.94, 95% CI 1.50, 2.50) than residents of predominantly White areas; and 5) residents of predominantly minority areas were 1.43 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than those in predominantly White areas (p = 0.03). Conclusions: There are notable differences in COVID-19 related outcomes between racial and ethnic groups at individual and community levels. We hope that this study will scientifically illustrate the health disparities experienced by communities of color and help to address the underlying systemic inequalities still prevalent within our country.

To read the original manuscript, click the link above.

Summary of Reviews: This study provides further empirical evidence about the racial differences in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. The preprint is potentially informative and somewhat reliable, but there are unmeasured confounders and it lacks some clarity around some data points.

Reviewer 1 (Philip Schluter) | πŸ“’πŸ“’πŸ“’ ◻️◻️

Reviewer 2 (Zahid Butt) | πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—β—»οΈ

RR:C19 Strength of Evidence Scale Key

πŸ“• ◻️◻️◻️◻️ = Misleading

πŸ“™πŸ“™ ◻️◻️◻️ = Not Informative

πŸ“’πŸ“’πŸ“’ ◻️◻️ = Potentially Informative

πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—β—»οΈ = Reliable

πŸ“˜πŸ“˜πŸ“˜πŸ“˜πŸ“˜ = Strong

To read the reviews, click the links below.

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