Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Children

August 5, 2020

Goyal MK, Simpson JN, Boyle MD, et al.

Pediatrics

This cross-sectional study assessed the racial/ethnic and socioeconomic differences in SARS-CoV-2 infection rates among children. 1000 children (aged 0-22 years old, median age 8) with mild symptoms were tested at a community-based testing site between March 21 – April 28, 2020. Overall, 20.7% of children tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (median age 11). Compared to non-Hispanic (NH) white children (7.3%), NH-black (30.0%, OR 3.3) and Hispanic (46.6%, OR 9.1) had higher rates of infection. Infection rates also differed by median family income (MFI); compared to those in the highest MFI quartile (8.7%), infections rates were higher among children in quartile 3 (23.7%, OR 3.2), quartile 2 (27,1%, OR 3.8), and quartile 1 (37.7%, OR 5.9). Race/ethnicity was similarly associated with exposure to SARS-CoV-2 as well. Authors emphasize the need to understand and address the causes of these disparities in order to limit the spread of infection.

Goyal MK, Simpson JN, Boyle MD, et al. Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Children. Pediatrics 2020. DOI:10.1542/peds.2020-009951.

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