Sociodemographic Predictors of Outcomes in COVID-19: Examining the Impact of Ethnic Disparities in Northern Nevada

Background 

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) a pandemic. Nearly five million individuals have since been diagnosed with this increasingly common and potentially lethal viral infection. Emerging evidence suggests a disproportionate burden of illness and death among minority communities. We aimed to evaluate the effect of ethnicity on outcomes among patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Northern Nevada.

Methods 

The electronic health records of 172 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were obtained from a 946-bed tertiary referral center serving Northern Nevada. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared by ethnic group (Hispanic versus non-Hispanic). Logistic regression was used to determine predictors of mortality. 

Results 

Among 172 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between March 12 and May 8, 2020, 87 (50.6%) identified as Hispanic and 81 (47.1%) as non-Hispanic. Hispanic individuals were significantly more likely to be uninsured and to live in low-income communities as compared to their non-Hispanic counterparts (27.6% versus 8.2% and 52.9% versus 30.6%, respectively). Hispanic patients were also less likely than non-Hispanics to have a primary care provider (42.5% versus 61.2%). However, mortality was significantly higher among the non-Hispanic population (15.3% versus 5.8%). 

Conclusion 

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected Hispanic individuals in Northern Nevada, who account for only 25.7% of the population but over half of the confirmed cases. The underlying causes of ethnic disparities in COVID-19 incidence remain to be established, but further investigation may lead to more effective community- and systems-based interventions.

An Ethnic Variation in the Acceptance of Biological Disease-Modifying Therapies: A University Hospital Experience

Ethnic variations in the outcomes of rheumatological diseases are well documented. While physiological differences may account for these disparities, attitude to treatment is also likely to be a significant modifiable contributor. We sought to determine if an ethnic variation exists in the uptake of biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD) among a multi-ethnic cohort when offered in-person through a healthcare system free at the point of access. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients seen in a biologic therapy counselling clinic between December 2016 and April 2017. Clinic letters from consultations were reviewed, and data including ethnicity, language spoken, and decision to accept or reject the therapy were extracted. We chose to measure uptake over adherence, as we believe it is an earlier, more direct marker of attitudes to joint saving medications. Ninety-one cases were included in the analysis. Over 13.2% (12/91) of the cohort declined a biologic treatment when it was offered as the standard of care for joint disease. Non-Caucasian patients accepted treatment less often than Caucasian (White British) patients (OR 0.265, CI 0.73-0.959, p = 0.043), as did those who did not speak English as a first language (OR 0.094, CI 0.18-0.497, p = 0.005). Age, sex, and diagnosis were well matched between those who accepted and declined therapy. We demonstrate a disparity in the uptake of biologic therapies between the White British population and patients from other ethnicities. The reasons for this are likely multifactorial and could be related to socio-economic factors, language barriers, and cultural differences. Addressing this discrepancy is a crucial first step to tackling preventable disparities in the outcomes of rheumatological disease between different ethnicities.

Ethnic/Racial Disparities in Pancreatic Cancer Mortality Across the United States: A National Inpatient Sample Database Analysis

Background and objective(s) Pancreatic cancer remains a significant contributor to cancer-related mortality in the United States, with notable racial disparities in both incidence and mortality rates. This study aimed to investigate potential racial disparities in pancreatic cancer mortality across different racial/ethnic groups in the United States by using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database of 2016-2020. Methods Using data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, we identified 32,357 individuals aged 18 years and older with a primary diagnosis of pancreatic cancer between 2016 and 2020. The sample was weighted to be nationally representative. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between race/ethnicity and pancreatic cancer mortality, adjusting for potential confounding factors such as age, gender, and patient location. Results Among the study population, 72.11% were White individuals, 14.48% were Black/African American individuals, 9.38% were Hispanic individuals, 3.67% were Asian/Pacific Islander individuals, and 0.36% were Native American individuals. Black/African American individuals demonstrated significantly higher odds of mortality compared to White individuals (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.339, 95% CI: 1.324-1.478, p < 0.0001). Asian/Pacific Islander individuals also exhibited higher odds of mortality (adjusted (OR)=1.442, 95% CI: 1.308-1.590, p < 0.0001). No statistically significant differences were observed for Hispanic or Native American individuals compared to White individuals. Conclusions This study provided evidence of racial disparities in pancreatic cancer mortality, with Black/African American and Asian/Pacific Islander individuals facing significantly higher odds of mortality compared to White individuals. These findings underscored the need for targeted interventions and policies to address these inequities and promote health equity in pancreatic cancer outcomes.