Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

January 12, 2021

Empiric Evidence of Ethnic Disparities in Coronavirus Positivity in Washington State

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Minority groups experienced higher rates of SARS-CoV-2 positivity compared to white patients in Washington State during the first wave of the pandemic (n=18,667). Latinx patients had nearly a 5-fold risk of positivity compared to white patients, while Black patients had nearly a 2-fold risk of positivity. Notably, 22% of Latinx patients had self-pay insurance compared to 8-16% of other ethnic groups, and were the only ethnic minority with higher odds than white patients for COVID-19 hospitalization. 

Pflugeisen and Mou. (Jan 11, 2021). Empiric Evidence of Ethnic Disparities in Coronavirus Positivity in Washington State. Ethnicity & Health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33428455/