Asthma Disparities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey of Patients and Physicians.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract
; 8(10): 3371-3377.e1, 2020.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-791482
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has demonstrated significantly worse outcomes for minority (black and Hispanic) individuals. Understanding the reasons for COVID-19-related disparities among patients with asthma has important public health implications.OBJECTIVE:
To determine factors contributing to health disparities in those with asthma during the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODS:
An anonymous survey was sent through social media to adult patients with asthma, and a separate survey was sent to physicians who provide asthma care. The patient survey addressed demographic information including socioeconomic status, asthma control, and attitudes/health behaviors during COVID-19.RESULTS:
A total of 1171 patients (10.1% minority individuals) and 225 physicians completed the survey. Minority patients were more likely to have been affected by COVID-19 (eg, became unemployed, lived in a community with high COVID-19 cases). They had worse asthma control (increased emergency visits for asthma, lower Asthma Control Test score), were more likely to live in urban areas, and had a lower household income. Initial differences in attitudes and health behaviors disappeared after controlling for baseline demographic features. Institutional racism was demonstrated by findings that minority individuals were less likely to have a primary care physician, had more trouble affording asthma medications due to COVID-19, and were more likely to have lost health insurance because of COVID-19, and that 25% of physicians found it more challenging to care for black individuals with asthma during COVID-19.CONCLUSIONS:
Differences in socioeconomic status and the effects of institutional racism, but not health behaviors, sources of information, or attitudes, are playing a role in disparities seen for patients with asthma during COVID-19.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Asthma
/
Unemployment
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Anti-Asthmatic Agents
/
Health Status Disparities
/
Healthcare Disparities
/
Racism
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
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