Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

June 9, 2021

Associations of Race/Ethnicity and Food Insecurity With COVID-19 Infection Rates Across US Counties

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  • Counties (n=3,133) with a higher percentage of Black residents had 3 more SARS-CoV-2 infections per 1000 residents in July 2020, and 0.9 more infections per 1000 residents in December 2020, but only among counties with a high prevalence of food insecurity. A similar association between  food insecurity and infection rates was observed among residents of other ethnic minorities. In contrast, a 1 standard deviation increase in the percentage of Hispanic residents in a county remained independently associated with increases in infection rates,  from 2.9 more infections per 1000 residents in July 2020 to 5.6 more infections per 1000 residents in December 2020. 

Kimani et al. (June 8, 2021). Associations of Race/Ethnicity and Food Insecurity With COVID-19 Infection Rates Across US Counties. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.12852