United States: Black and Hispanic men hardest hit by COVID-19

Analysis revealed that Hispanic patients had the highest rates of COVID-19 positivity.

These results were consistent with other reports showing that Hispanic patients were more than two and a half times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 than their white counterparts.

The Mid- Atlantic Permanente Research Institute (MAPRI) and Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group analyzed the electronic medical records of more than five million adult patients in multiple medical systems across the United States from March 2020 through August 2020.

“Understanding the disparities of different populations helps us identify where there are gaps in care,” said study co-author Eric Watson.

According to him, medical systems need to be more proactive to ensure everyone has equitable access to health care, especially during a pandemic.

Nearly 1,400 patients studied have died after being hospitalized due to of COVID-19. Black men experienced the highest death rates, closely followed by Hispanic men.

The study found that black patients were more likely to be hospitalized due to COVID- 19 than white patients. Regardless of ethnicity, men have been hospitalized with COVID-19 more frequently than women. The authors said that many factors could have led to serious outcomes for black patients and men during this time.

“We know that, in general, men are less likely to seek medical care when they are sick,” said Watson. “Delaying care for COVID-19 could lead to more serious outcomes.”