Association of COVID-19 With Race and Socioeconomic Factors in Family Medicine.

Abstract

Recent data demonstrated that socioeconomic, environmental, demographic, and health factors can contribute to vulnerability for coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). The goal of this study was to assess association between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS CoV-2) infection and demographic and socioeconomic factors in patients from a large academic family medicine practice to support practice operations. Patients referred for SARS CoV-2 testing by practice providers were identified using shared patient lists in the electronic health records (Epic). The Health Information Exchange (CRISP) was used to identify additional practice-attributed patients receiving testing elsewhere. Compared with white non-Hispanic patients, the odds of COVID-19 detection were higher in black non-Hispanic (odds ratio [OR] = 1.75; 95% CI, 1.18-2.59, <i>P</i> = .0052) and Hispanic patients (OR = 5.40; 95% CI, 3.11-9.38, <i>P</i> < .0001). The latent class analysis revealed additional patterns in health disparities. Patients living in the areas with Area Deprivation Index 8-10 who were predominantly black had higher risk for SARS CoV-2 infection compared with patients living in less socioeconomically deprived areas who were predominantly white (OR = 1.68; 95% CI, 1.25-2.28; <i>P</i> = .0007). Our data provide insight into the association of COVID-19 with race/ethnic minority patients residing in highly socioeconomically deprived areas. These data could impact outreach and management of ambulatory COVID-19 in the future.