Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-18-2021
Publication Title
Health Science Reports
Abstract
Background and Aims
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 75.7 million confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), have been reported so far. Researchers are working relentlessly to find effective solutions to this catastrophe, using genomic sequence-based investigation, immunological analysis, and more. The role of health disparity has also emerged as an intriguing factor that made a huge impact on the lives of people.
Methods
We analyzed various factors that triggered the health disparity in the United States of America along with the rate of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, we have also focused on the State of Mississippi, which is suffering from an extreme health disparity. Data have been obtained from publicly available data sources including, Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Mississippi State Department of Health. Correlation analysis of the dataset has been performed using R software.
Results
Our analysis suggested that the COVID-19 infection rate per 100 000 people is directly correlated with the increasing number of the African American population in the United States. We have found a strong correlation between the obesity and the COVID-19 cases as well. All the counties in Mississippi demonstrate a strong correlation between a higher number of African American population to COVID-19 cases and obesity. Our data also indicate that a higher number of African American populations are facing socioeconomic disadvantages, which enhance their chances of becoming vulnerable to pre-existing ailments such as obesity, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusion
We proposed a possible explanation of increased COVID-19 infectivity in the African American population in the United States. This work has highlighted the intriguing factors that increased the health disparity at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Volume
4
Issue
e345
First Page
e345
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.345
Repository Citation
Sarkar, Sanjay; Taylor, Archie; Dutta, Pratik; Sengupta, Bidisha; and Roy, Debarshi, "Health disparity and COVID-19—A retrospective analysis" (2021). Faculty Publications. 92.
https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/chemistry_facultypubs/92
