TY - JOUR
T1 - Racial and Ethnic Differences in Self-Reported COVID-19 Exposure Risks, Concerns, and Behaviors Among Diverse Participants in the Women’s Health Initiative Study
AU - Bennett, Serenity J.
AU - Hunt, Rebecca P.
AU - Breathett, Khadijah
AU - Eaton, Charles B.
AU - Garcia, Lorena
AU - Jiménez, Monik
AU - Johns, Tanya S.
AU - Mouton, Charles P.
AU - Nassir, Rami
AU - Nuño, Tomas
AU - Urrutia, Rachel P.
AU - Wactawski-Wende, Jean
AU - Cené, Crystal W.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023/12/1
Y1 - 2023/12/1
N2 - Background: Racial and ethnic disparities in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk are well-documented; however, few studies in older adults have examined multiple factors related to COVID-19 exposure, concerns, and behaviors or conducted race- and ethnicity-stratified analyses. The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) provides a unique opportunity to address those gaps. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of WHI data from a supplemental survey of 48 492 older adults (mean age 84 years). In multivariable-adjusted modified Poisson regression analyses, we examined predisposing factors and COVID-19 exposure risk, concerns, and behaviors. We hypothesized that women from minoritized racial or ethnic groups, compared to non-Hispanic White women, would be more likely to report: exposure to COVID-19, a family or friend dying from COVID-19, difficulty getting routine medical care or deciding to forego care to avoid COVID-19 exposure, and having concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Asian women and non-Hispanic Black/African American women had a higher risk of being somewhat/very concerned about risk of getting COVID-19 compared to non-Hispanic White women and each was significantly more likely than non-Hispanic White women to report forgoing medical care to avoid COVID-19 exposure. However, Asian women were 35% less likely than non-Hispanic White women to report difficulty getting routine medical care since March 2020 (adjusted relative risk 0.65; 95% confidence interval 0.57, 0.75). Conclusions: We documented COVID-related racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 exposure risk, concerns, and care-related behaviors that disfavored minoritized racial and ethnic groups, particularly non-Hispanic Black/African American women.
AB - Background: Racial and ethnic disparities in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk are well-documented; however, few studies in older adults have examined multiple factors related to COVID-19 exposure, concerns, and behaviors or conducted race- and ethnicity-stratified analyses. The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) provides a unique opportunity to address those gaps. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of WHI data from a supplemental survey of 48 492 older adults (mean age 84 years). In multivariable-adjusted modified Poisson regression analyses, we examined predisposing factors and COVID-19 exposure risk, concerns, and behaviors. We hypothesized that women from minoritized racial or ethnic groups, compared to non-Hispanic White women, would be more likely to report: exposure to COVID-19, a family or friend dying from COVID-19, difficulty getting routine medical care or deciding to forego care to avoid COVID-19 exposure, and having concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Asian women and non-Hispanic Black/African American women had a higher risk of being somewhat/very concerned about risk of getting COVID-19 compared to non-Hispanic White women and each was significantly more likely than non-Hispanic White women to report forgoing medical care to avoid COVID-19 exposure. However, Asian women were 35% less likely than non-Hispanic White women to report difficulty getting routine medical care since March 2020 (adjusted relative risk 0.65; 95% confidence interval 0.57, 0.75). Conclusions: We documented COVID-related racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 exposure risk, concerns, and care-related behaviors that disfavored minoritized racial and ethnic groups, particularly non-Hispanic Black/African American women.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Older adults
KW - Racial and ethnic disparities
KW - Structural racism
KW - Women
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U2 - 10.1093/gerona/glad133
DO - 10.1093/gerona/glad133
M3 - Article
C2 - 37267463
AN - SCOPUS:85178650240
SN - 1079-5006
VL - 78
SP - 2294
EP - 2303
JO - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
JF - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
IS - 12
ER -