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IMAGE: Ruth Tappen, Ed.D., R.N., F.A.A.N, lead author and Christine E. Lynn Eminent Scholar, FAU s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. view more
Credit: Florida Atlantic University
The COVID-19 pandemic is a great example of the importance of access to the Internet and to digital health information. Unfortunately, historical disparities in health care appear to be reflected in computer ownership, access to the Internet and use of digital health information. However, few studies have qualitatively explored reasons for digital health information disparity, especially in older adults.
A study led by Florida Atlantic University s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing in collaboration with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, examined the extent of computer ownership, Internet access, and digital health information use in older (ages 60 and above) African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, Hispanic Americans and European A
The study, published in the
The researchers investigated the association between COVID-19 cases and deaths in 2,026 US counties from January to October 2020 and social determinants of health, which can raise the risk for infection and death.
They also looked at factors known or thought to impact COVID-19 outcomes, including the counties’ population density, days since the first COVID-19 death and percent of residents who are over age 65, are smokers, or who have chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or high blood pressure.
The study finds that a 1 percentage point increase in a county’s percent of Black residents, uninsured adults, low birthweight infants, adults without a high school diploma, incarceration rate, and households without internet increased that county’s COVID-19 death rates during the time period they examined.
COVID-19 mortality racial disparities in the U.S. are associated with social factors like income, education and internet access, according to a Rutgers study.
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COVID-19 mortality racial disparities in the U.S. are associated with social factors like income, education and internet access, according to a Rutgers study.
The study, published in the
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, highlights the need for public health policies that address structural racism.
The researchers investigated the association between COVID-19 cases and deaths in 2,026 U.S. counties from January to October 2020 and social determinants of health, which can raise the risk for infection and death.
They also looked at factors known or thought to impact COVID-19 outcomes, including the counties population density, days since the first COVID-19 death and percent of residents who are over age 65, are smokers or who have chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or high blood pressure.
Cevat Giray Aksoy, Barry Eichengreen, Orkun Saka
COVID-19 vaccines are finally here. Vaccine developers lost no time after the novel coronavirus first made its appearance, at a time when the term ‘COVID-19’ was not yet coined and the known toll could be counted on one hand. And within weeks of the approval of the vaccines, as the year 2020 came to a close, over 10 million people worldwide had been vaccinated.
Staggering as this number might seem, this is merely a fraction of the total number of vulnerable people who need to be vaccinated in order to stop the virus in its tracks. Despite the excitement and hopeful anticipation from the general public, the level of mistrust surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine is deeply concerning. In the US, COVID-19 mortality is disproportionally higher among racial minorities and those with lower income and education levels (Abedi et al. 2020). Similarly, across the globe, over one billion marginalised people face elevated risk of dying from COVID