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Census tract socioeconomic indicators and COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates—COVID-NET surveillance areas in 14 states, March 1–April 30, 2020

Author

Listed:
  • Jonathan M Wortham
  • Seth A Meador
  • James L Hadler
  • Kimberly Yousey-Hindes
  • Isaac See
  • Michael Whitaker
  • Alissa O’Halloran
  • Jennifer Milucky
  • Shua J Chai
  • Arthur Reingold
  • Nisha B Alden
  • Breanna Kawasaki
  • Evan J Anderson
  • Kyle P Openo
  • Andrew Weigel
  • Maya L Monroe
  • Patricia A Ryan
  • Sue Kim
  • Libby Reeg
  • Ruth Lynfield
  • Melissa McMahon
  • Daniel M Sosin
  • Nancy Eisenberg
  • Adam Rowe
  • Grant Barney
  • Nancy M Bennett
  • Sophrena Bushey
  • Laurie M Billing
  • Jess Shiltz
  • Melissa Sutton
  • Nicole West
  • H Keipp Talbot
  • William Schaffner
  • Keegan McCaffrey
  • Melanie Spencer
  • Anita K Kambhampati
  • Onika Anglin
  • Alexandra M Piasecki
  • Rachel Holstein
  • Aron J Hall
  • Alicia M Fry
  • Shikha Garg
  • Lindsay Kim

Abstract

Objectives: Some studies suggested more COVID-19-associated hospitalizations among racial and ethnic minorities. To inform public health practice, the COVID-19-associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET) quantified associations between race/ethnicity, census tract socioeconomic indicators, and COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates. Methods: Using data from COVID-NET population-based surveillance reported during March 1–April 30, 2020 along with socioeconomic and denominator data from the US Census Bureau, we calculated COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates by racial/ethnic and census tract-level socioeconomic strata. Results: Among 16,000 COVID-19-associated hospitalizations, 34.8% occurred among non-Hispanic White (White) persons, 36.3% among non-Hispanic Black (Black) persons, and 18.2% among Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) persons. Age-adjusted COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate were 151.6 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 147.1–156.1) in census tracts with >15.2%–83.2% of persons living below the federal poverty level (high-poverty census tracts) and 75.5 (95% CI: 72.9–78.1) in census tracts with 0%–4.9% of persons living below the federal poverty level (low-poverty census tracts). Among White, Black, and Hispanic persons living in high-poverty census tracts, age-adjusted hospitalization rates were 120.3 (95% CI: 112.3–128.2), 252.2 (95% CI: 241.4–263.0), and 341.1 (95% CI: 317.3–365.0), respectively, compared with 58.2 (95% CI: 55.4–61.1), 304.0 (95%: 282.4–325.6), and 540.3 (95% CI: 477.0–603.6), respectively, in low-poverty census tracts. Conclusions: Overall, COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates were highest in high-poverty census tracts, but rates among Black and Hispanic persons were high regardless of poverty level. Public health practitioners must ensure mitigation measures and vaccination campaigns address needs of racial/ethnic minority groups and people living in high-poverty census tracts.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan M Wortham & Seth A Meador & James L Hadler & Kimberly Yousey-Hindes & Isaac See & Michael Whitaker & Alissa O’Halloran & Jennifer Milucky & Shua J Chai & Arthur Reingold & Nisha B Alden & Bre, 2021. "Census tract socioeconomic indicators and COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates—COVID-NET surveillance areas in 14 states, March 1–April 30, 2020," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(9), pages 1-15, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0257622
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257622
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