|
?:abstract
|
-
Background: Latinos in the US are experiencing higher excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic than any other racial/ethnic group, but it is unclear which subgroups within this diverse population are most affected. Such information is necessary to target policies and programs that prevent further excess mortality and reduce inequities. Methods: Using death certificate data for January 1, 2016 through February 29, 2020 and time-series models, we estimated the expected weekly deaths among Latinos in California from March 1 through October 3, 2020. We quantified excess mortality as observed minus expected deaths and risk ratios (RR) as the ratio of observed to expected deaths. We considered subgroups defined by age, sex, place of birth, education, occupation, and combinations of these factors. Results: During the first seven months of the pandemic, Latino deaths in California exceeded expected deaths by 10,304, a 31% increase. Excess death rates were greatest for individuals born in Mexico (RR 1.44; 95% PI, 1.41, 1.48) or Central America (RR 1.49; 95% PI, 1.37, 1.63), with less than a high school degree (RR 1.41; 95% PI, 1.35, 1.46), or in manufacturing (RR 1.62; 95% PI, 1.52, 1.72) or food-and-agriculture occupations (RR 1.50; 95% PI, 1.40, 1.61). Disparities in excess death by place of birth and education were magnified among Latinos in essential occupations. Conclusions: Foreign-birth, low formal education, and work in an essential sector put some Latinos in California at higher risk of death during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions should reduce the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Latino immigrants and Latinos in unsafe working conditions; these may include early vaccination, workplace safety enforcement, and expanded access to medical care.
|
![[This page as RDF]](https://research.tib.eu/covid-19/static/rdf-icon.gif){kind=icon}