ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Evaluated how COVID-19 impacted Latino health across social, economic, and emotional dimensions and differentiated whether adverse COVID-19-related effects persisted across respondents. METHODS: In both English and Spanish, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in the USA from June 2021 to April 2022. Chi-square tests, Z-tests, and T-tests were used to test for significant differences between Spanish- and English-speaking respondents. Multiple linear regressions were carried out to understand whether previously established determinants of health for Latinos accounted for greater COVID-19-related adversity across social, economic, and mental health dimensions. English as a primary language was significantly related to greater adverse emotional/mental health COVID-19 experiences after controlling for other social determinants of health factors (ß = - 0.355, p < 0.001). Individuals who reported worrying about housing loss were significantly more likely to experience more adverse economic adversity due to COVID-19 (ß = - 0.234, p < 0.001). Household income < $35,000 (ß = 0.083, p < 0.05), having more than 5 people living in the same home (ß = -0.102, p < 0.05), and work-related transportation barriers (ß = - 0.114, p < 0.05) all increased the likelihood of household-related stressors occurring because of the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the heterogeneity in the Latino community and the key social, economic, and community-level factors most strongly correlated with adverse COVID-19-related outcomes.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has devastated incarcerated people throughout the United States. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and acceptability of a COVID-19 Health Review for Correctional Facilities. METHODS: The COVID-19 Health Review survey for the Department of Corrections was developed in Qualtrics to assess the following: (1) COVID-19 testing, (2) providing personal protective equipment, (3) vaccination procedures, (4) quarantine procedures, (5) COVID-19 mortality rates for inmates, (6) COVID-19 mortality rates for correctional officers and prison staff, (7) COVID-19 infection rates for inmates, (8) COVID-19 infection rates for correctional officers and prison staff, and (9) uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. The estimated time to review the Alabama State Department of Corrections COVID-19 responses on their website and complete the survey items was 45 minutes to 1 hour. RESULTS: Of the 21 participants who completed the COVID-19 Health Review for Correctional Facilities survey, 48% (n=10) identified as female, 43% (n=9) identified as male, and 10% (n=2) identified as transgender. For race, 29% (n=6) self-identified as Black or African American, 24% (n=5) Asian, 24% (n=5) White, 5% (n=1) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, and 19% (n=4) Other. In addition, 5 respondents self-identified as returning citizens. For COVID-19 review questions, the majority concluded that information on personal protective equipment was "poor" and "very poor," information on COVID-19 testing was "fair" and above, information on COVID-19 death/infection rates between inmates and staff was "good" and "very good," and information on vaccinations was "good" and "very good." There was a significant difference observed (P=.03) between nonreturning citizens and returning citizens regarding the health grade review with respect to available information on COVID-19 infection rates. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 health reviews may provide an opportunity for the public to review the COVID-19 responses in correctional settings.
