COVID-19 Disparities Among Marshallese Pacific Islanders

Preventing chronic disease

article

Pearl A. McElfish¹  Rachel Purvis²  Don E. Willis²  Sheldon Riklon² 

[1]College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest

[2]Office of Community Health and Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest

DOI  :  10.5888/pcd18.200407

学科分类：医学（综合）

来源: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention * National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

【 摘 要 】

Rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections, hospitalizations, and deaths differ across racial and ethnic groups in the United States and disproportionately affect minority communities ( 1 – 6 ). In states reporting disaggregated data for Pacific Islander populations, rates of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths were significantly higher among Pacific Islanders than among the White population and other racial and ethnic minority populations ( 4 , 7 , 8 ). Because the disparities were so alarming among Marshallese Pacific Islanders in northwest Arkansas (ie, Benton and Washington counties), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a multi-week site visit in late June and early July 2020. Their July 2020 report details the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on the Marshallese population in this region ( 9 ). Marshallese are estimated to make up just 1.5% to 3% of the total population of Benton and Washington counties, yet they accounted for 19% of all COVID-19 cases in the region ( 9 ). Of Marshallese patients with COVID-19 during March–June 2020, 9% were hospitalized ( 9 ). Nationally, CDC reported that 144.1 per 100,000 (<0.01%) of patients with COVID-19 were hospitalized as of June 2020. Most alarmingly, Marshallese people accounted for 38% of the reported deaths in the 2-county region during March–June 2020 ( 9 ). The Marshallese community in northwest Arkansas bears a much larger burden of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death than other racial and ethnic minorities ( 2 , 9 ).

【 授权许可】

CC BY