Association of Social Vulnerability and COVID-19 Mortality Rates in Texas between 15 March 2020, and 21 July 2022: An Ecological Analysis

Dennis Ogeto Nyachoti (), Nalini Ranjit, Ryan Ramphul, Leah D. Whigham and Andrew E. Springer ()
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Dennis Ogeto Nyachoti: Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, Texas Department of State Health Services, 201 W Howard Ln, Austin, TX 78753, USA
Nalini Ranjit: Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 1616 Guadalupe, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Ryan Ramphul: Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics & Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Leah D. Whigham: Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Community Health Impact, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 5130 Gateway Boulevard East MCA 110, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
Andrew E. Springer: Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 1616 Guadalupe, Austin, TX 78701, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: Background: Despite the key role of social vulnerability such as economic disadvantage in health outcomes, research is limited on the impact of social vulnerabilities on COVID-19-related deaths, especially at the state and county level in the USA. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional ecologic analysis of COVID-19 mortality by the county-level Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index (MH SVI) and each of its components in Texas. Negative binomial regression (NBR) analyses were used to estimate the association between the composite MH SVI (and its components) and COVID-19 mortality. Results: A 0.1-unit increase in the overall MH SVI (IRR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.04–1.55; p = 0.017) was associated with a 27% increase in the COVID-19 mortality rate. Among the MH SVI component measures, only low socioeconomic status (IRR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.28–1.89; p = 0.001) and higher household composition (e.g., proportion of older population per county) and disability scores (IRR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.29–1.68; p < 0.001) were positively associated with COVID-19 mortality rates. Conclusions: This study provides further evidence of disparities in COVID-19 mortality by social vulnerability and can inform decisions on the allocation of social resources and services as a strategy for reducing COVID-19 mortality rates and similar pandemics in the future.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Coronavirus 2019; pandemics; SVI; MH SVI; minority health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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