Sharia M Ahmed1, Rashmee U Shah2, Valerie Fernandez3, Sara Grineski4,5, Benjamin Brintz1,6, Matthew H Samore6,7, Matthew J Ferrari8, Daniel T Leung1, Lindsay T Keegan6,7. 1. 208352 Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 2. 12348 Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 3. 7060 College of Social and Behavioral Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 4. Center for Natural & Technological Hazards, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 5. Department of Sociology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 6. Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 7. Department of Veterans Affairs, Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 8. 118134 Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: US-based descriptions of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have focused on patients with severe disease. Our objective was to describe characteristics of a predominantly outpatient population tested for SARS-CoV-2 in an area receiving comprehensive testing. METHODS: We extracted data on demographic characteristics and clinical data for all patients (91% outpatient) tested for SARS-CoV-2 at University of Utah Health clinics in Salt Lake County, Utah, from March 10 through April 24, 2020. We manually extracted data on symptoms and exposures from a subset of patients, and we calculated the adjusted odds of receiving a positive test result by demographic characteristics and clinical risk factors. RESULTS: Of 17 662 people tested, 1006 (5.7%) received a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2. Hispanic/Latinx people were twice as likely as non-Hispanic White people to receive a positive test result (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.0; 95% CI, 1.3-3.1), although the severity at presentation did not explain this discrepancy. Young people aged 0-19 years had the lowest rates of receiving a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2 (<4 cases per 10 000 population), and adults aged 70-79 and 40-49 had the highest rates of hospitalization per 100 000 population among people who received a positive test result (16 and 11, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We found disparities by race/ethnicity and age in access to testing and in receiving a positive test result among outpatients tested for SARS-CoV-2. Further research and public health outreach on addressing racial/ethnic and age disparities will be needed to effectively combat the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in the United States.
OBJECTIVE: US-based descriptions of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have focused on patients with severe disease. Our objective was to describe characteristics of a predominantly outpatient population tested for SARS-CoV-2 in an area receiving comprehensive testing. METHODS: We extracted data on demographic characteristics and clinical data for all patients (91% outpatient) tested for SARS-CoV-2 at University of Utah Health clinics in Salt Lake County, Utah, from March 10 through April 24, 2020. We manually extracted data on symptoms and exposures from a subset of patients, and we calculated the adjusted odds of receiving a positive test result by demographic characteristics and clinical risk factors. RESULTS: Of 17 662 people tested, 1006 (5.7%) received a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2. Hispanic/Latinx people were twice as likely as non-Hispanic White people to receive a positive test result (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.0; 95% CI, 1.3-3.1), although the severity at presentation did not explain this discrepancy. Young people aged 0-19 years had the lowest rates of receiving a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2 (<4 cases per 10 000 population), and adults aged 70-79 and 40-49 had the highest rates of hospitalization per 100 000 population among people who received a positive test result (16 and 11, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We found disparities by race/ethnicity and age in access to testing and in receiving a positive test result among outpatients tested for SARS-CoV-2. Further research and public health outreach on addressing racial/ethnic and age disparities will be needed to effectively combat the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in the United States.
Entities:
Keywords:
COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; comprehensive testing; health disparities; outpatient
Authors: Eric J Chow; Noah G Schwartz; Farrell A Tobolowsky; Rachael L T Zacks; Melinda Huntington-Frazier; Sujan C Reddy; Agam K Rao Journal: JAMA Date: 2020-05-26 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Pavan K Bhatraju; Bijan J Ghassemieh; Michelle Nichols; Richard Kim; Keith R Jerome; Arun K Nalla; Alexander L Greninger; Sudhakar Pipavath; Mark M Wurfel; Laura Evans; Patricia A Kritek; T Eoin West; Andrew Luks; Anthony Gerbino; Chris R Dale; Jason D Goldman; Shane O'Mahony; Carmen Mikacenic Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2020-03-30 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Vamsi P Guntur; Brian D Modena; Laurie A Manka; Jared J Eddy; Shu-Yi Liao; Nir M Goldstein; Pearlanne Zelarney; Carrie A Horn; Rebecca C Keith; Barry J Make; Irina Petrache; Michael E Wechsler Journal: Respir Med Date: 2022-04-07 Impact factor: 4.582
Authors: Donald E Pathman; Jeffrey Sonis; Jerry N Harrison; Robert G Sewell; Jackie Fannell; Marc Overbeck; Thomas R Konrad Journal: Public Health Rep Date: 2021-10-25 Impact factor: 2.792