COVID-19-Specific Mortality among World Trade Center Health Registry Enrollees Who Resided in New York City

Janette Yung (), Jiehui Li, Rebecca D. Kehm, James E. Cone, Hilary Parton, Mary Huynh and Mark R. Farfel
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Janette Yung: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, New York, NY 11101, USA
Jiehui Li: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, New York, NY 11101, USA
Rebecca D. Kehm: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, New York, NY 11101, USA
James E. Cone: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, New York, NY 11101, USA
Hilary Parton: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Communicable Diseases, New York, NY 11101, USA
Mary Huynh: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York, NY 10013, USA
Mark R. Farfel: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, New York, NY 11101, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: We examined the all-cause and COVID-19-specific mortality among World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR) enrollees. We also examined the socioeconomic factors associated with COVID-19-specific death. Mortality data from the NYC Bureau of Vital Statistics between 2015–2020 were linked to the WTCHR. COVID-19-specific death was defined as having positive COVID-19 tests that match to a death certificate or COVID-19 mentioned on the death certificate via text searching. We conducted step change and pulse regression to assess excess deaths. Limiting to those who died in 2019 ( n = 210) and 2020 ( n = 286), we examined factors associated with COVID-19-specific deaths using multinomial logistic regression. Death rate among WTCHR enrollees increased during the pandemic (RR: 1.70, 95% CL: 1.25–2.32), driven by the pulse in March–April 2020 (RR: 3.38, 95% CL: 2.62–4.30). No significantly increased death rate was observed during May–December 2020. Being non-Hispanic Black and having at least one co-morbidity had a higher likelihood of COVID-19-associated mortality than being non-Hispanic White and not having any co-morbidity (AOR: 2.43, 95% CL: 1.23–4.77; AOR: 2.86, 95% CL: 1.19–6.88, respectively). The racial disparity in COVID-19-specific deaths attenuated after including neighborhood proportion of essential workers in the model (AOR:1.98, 95% CL: 0.98–4.01). Racial disparities continue to impact mortality by differential occupational exposure and structural inequality in neighborhood representation. The WTC-exposed population are no exception. Continued efforts to reduce transmission risk in communities of color is crucial for addressing health inequities.

Keywords: COVID-19; mortality; World Trade Center disaster; racial disparity; health inequity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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