Beyond the 405 and the 5: Geographic variations and factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates in Los Angeles County

November 3, 2020

Vijayan T, Shin M, Adamson PC, et al

Clinical Infectious Diseases

This ecological analysis sought to analyze the socio-structural factors associated with the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in areas of Los Angeles County (LAC). The predictor variables included in this analysis were age, race/ethnicity, poverty, insurance status, educational status, population density, and household density; the outcome variables included were age-adjusted testing rate, age-adjusted diagnosis rate, and the crude positivity rate. Overall, there were 843,440 tests conducted and 86,383 diagnoses reported in LAC between March 1 and June 30, 2020. Areas with a positivity rate greater than 5% had greater proportions of residents who were Latino, living below the poverty line, uninsured, and without a bachelor’s degree. Based on spatial models, factors associated with positivity rates included proportion of Latino residents, residents living below the poverty line, and household density. Age- adjusted diagnosis rates were associated with all of the aforementioned factors plus population density. There were no significant associations between the included predictor variables and age-adjusted testing rates. These differences within LAC support the need for targeted interventions for COVID-19.

Vijayan T, Shin M, Adamson PC, et al. Beyond the 405 and the 5: Geographic variations and factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates in Los Angeles County. Clin Infect Dis 2020; published online Nov 3. DOI:10.1093/cid/ciaa1692.

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