The Population Affected by the Syndemic of COVID-19 and Poverty is More Likely to be Hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia

Authors

Julio A. Ramirez, University of LouisvilleFollow
Stephen P. Furmanek, University of LouisvilleFollow
Meredith CahillFollow
Stephen S. Hanson, University of LouisvilleFollow
Ruth CarricoFollow
Forest W. Arnold, University of LouisvilleFollow

20.0257

Funder

This study was funded by a grant from Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.

Abstract

Background

Lockdown measures to control COVID-19 have exacerbated the poverty epidemic. We hypothesized that the synergistic interaction of COVID-19 and poverty epidemics favors the development of more severe forms of COVID-19 in the population living in poverty. To test this hypothesis, we assessed whether an ecological association exists between the geographic distribution of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and markers of poverty in the city of Louisville, KY.

Methods

Using the geomasked home addresses of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in the city of Louisville, a kernel density heatmap was created. Kuldorff’s spatial scan statistic was used to calculate areas of increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia hospitalization. Heat maps were created for census tract–level demographics according to income, age, race, and ethnicity to assess whether an ecological association exists with the spatial distribution of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia hospitalization.

Results

Four areas of increased risk of hospitalization due to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia were identified in the western and central sections of the city, with relative risks (RRs) ranging from 2.3 to 3.2 (p

Conclusions

Residents from low-income areas are almost three times more likely to develop SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia requiring hospitalization. Current efforts to decrease the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations through vaccination of populations at risk should be concentrated in city areas with a low-income level population.

DOI

10.18297/jri/vol5/iss1/16

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Ramirez, Julio A.; Furmanek, Stephen P.; Cahill, Meredith; Hanson, Stephen S.; Carrico, Ruth; and Arnold, Forest W. (2021) "The Population Affected by the Syndemic of COVID-19 and Poverty is More Likely to be Hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia," The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections: Vol. 5 : Iss. 1 , Article 16.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18297/jri/vol5/iss1/16
Available at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/jri/vol5/iss1/16