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High Social Vulnerability Linked to High Rates of COVID-19 Mortality
Researchers found that regions with high levels of social vulnerabilities also had the highest mortality rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When comparing groups that experienced the worst effects of COVID-19, a study published in Public Health Nursing found that the pandemic had a significant impact on those who exhibit high social vulnerability, leading them to have the highest mortality levels.
Researchers gathered 31 relevant studies and conducted a systematic review. Initially, they considered 1,160, but they omitted most of the studies due to similarities in titles and redundant information.
They then extracted data, grouping it into two forms. The first form contained data related to content information, including the author's name, the country where the study was conducted, publication date, and methodology.
The other form included information regarding how the social vulnerability was detected and measured during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers used Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools to evaluate the studies, grouping them into low, moderate, or high methodological quality.
Thirty-two percent of the studies were high quality, 36 percent were moderate, and 32 percent were low quality.
From the 31 papers, researchers found eight domains and 95 indicators that affected social vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic. The domains included household and community composition, race and minority status, socioeconomic status, community health status, public health infrastructures, education, information technology, and communication.
Frequently cited variables affecting COVID-19 included household and community composition, minority, socioeconomic status, and public health infrastructures.
Following the review of the variables, researchers concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic had a strong negative effect on socially vulnerable people, including the elderly and children, racial minority groups, and those with a low socioeconomic status, which can lead to a greater mortality rate for these populations.
Limitations of this study included the difficulty in finding studies relating to the COVID-19 and the fact that the pandemic started only two years ago, which could have influenced the data accuracy in the study.
Previous research has shown that social vulnerabilities are linked to health risks.
One study showed that Black people are the most common population diagnosed with HIV, and they are also most likely to face care access issues. The researchers explained that Black people often live in highly socially vulnerable areas due to racial discrimination. This results in Black HIV patients facing difficulties in locating treatment.
Another recent study highlighted the relationship between poor health outcomes from COVID-19 and the level of social vulnerability. Researchers found that COVID-19 patients living in socially vulnerable ZIP codes experienced poorer health outcomes than their counterparts in neighborhoods with lower levels of social vulnerability.
Further, a study from October 2020 discussed several recognized health disparities and how data analytics tools can be used to improve outcomes. Researchers created a measuring system known as a vulnerability index, which identified those at high risk for poor health outcomes after contracting COVID-19.
