Race and Poverty Tied to Coronavirus Disparities
A new study published in JAMA found that COVID-19 infection rates are higher in high-poverty counties and counties with more people of color. However, the study also indicated that racial disparities related to the coronavirus persist in both high- and low-poverty communities. Researchers analyzed data from a total of 158 counties that were categorized by poverty level and racial population. In poorer communities, white counties had a death rate of 3.3 per 100,000 residents compared to more diverse counties with a death rate of 30.7, nine times higher. In the wealthier counties, majority white communities had an infection rate of 169.3 per 100,000 residents. However, in wealthier communities where people of color made up more than 44.5 percent of residents, the infection rate was 474.