Racial and ethnic minority groups had higher hospitalization rates for Covid-19 and were more in the emergency department compared to white people, according to two new studies published Monday in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
“Analysis of hospitalizations from a database with more than 3.7 million hospital discharges and approximately 300,000 hospital patients during March – December 2020, found that racial and ethnic minority groups experience higher percentages of Covid-19 hospitalization compared to white patients, “said the first study.
In each region, Spanish patients had the highest cumulative percentage of patients with Covid-19.
The differences in the proportion of patients admitted to hospital were greatest in the early pandemic – from April to July – and were less pronounced as hospitalizations among white patients increased. Declining differences do not necessarily reflect the reduced risk for minorities, but also the increased risk for white patients.
At the end of the study period, however, there were differences in all regions, especially among the Spanish in the West.
According to the researchers, these differences are driven by a higher risk factor for exposure to the coronavirus and a higher risk for serious diseases.
The second study found that some racial and ethnic groups, including Hispanics, Native Americans, or Native Americans and Blacks, received emergency care for Covid-19 at “excessively higher rates” compared to white patients.
There were 282,220 Covid-19 emergency department visits from 13 states between October and December 2020 and racial / ethnic differences were observed in age groups.
Hispanic patients and Native American or Alaska patients were more likely to seek Covid-19 emergencies than common people, as well as for each age group examined. Blacks aged 74 and older were more likely to seek help than emergencies than whites, but no differences were observed for those under 75.
The data used in the study come from 13 states, which means that it may not be generalized across the country. White people also represent a larger percentage of the population in the 13 states, compared to the national population distribution.
According to the authors, it is important to prioritize prevention resources, the management of underlying health conditions, safe school and working conditions, flexible leave policies, and improved access to and acceptability of Covid-19 testing and vaccination to reach these groups disproportionately.