Biology

Multiple measures of structural racism as predictors of U.S. county-level COVID-19 cases and deaths

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Minoritized racial groups in the U.S. have experienced disproportionately higher rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Studies have linked structural racism as a critical factor causing these disproportionate health burdens. We analyze the relationships between county-level COVID-19 cases and deaths and five measures of structural racism on Black Americans: Black–White residential segregation, differences in educational attainment, unemployment, incarceration rates, and health insurance coverage between Black and White Americans. When controlling for socioeconomic, demographic, health and behavioural factors significant relationships were found between all measures of structural racism with cases and/or deaths except Black–White differences in health insurance coverage. Black–White disparities in educational attainment and incarceration were the strongest predictors. The results varied greatly across regions of the U.S. We also found strong relationships between COVID-19 and mobility and the proportion of foreign-born non-citizens. This work supports the important need to confront structural racism on multiple fronts to address health disparities.

Publication Title

Ethnic and Racial Studies

Publication Date

2023

Volume

46

Issue

5

First Page

832

Last Page

853

ISSN

0141-9870

DOI

10.1080/01419870.2022.2105655

Keywords

counties, COVID-19 cases, COVID-19 deaths, health inequities, Social determinants, structural racism

Cross Post Location

Sociology

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