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Community-Level Factors Associated with COVID-19 Cases and Testing Equity in King County, Washington

Author

Listed:
  • Edmund Seto

    (Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

  • Esther Min

    (Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

  • Carolyn Ingram

    (Bordeaux School of Public Health, University of Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France)

  • BJ Cummings

    (Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

  • Stephanie A. Farquhar

    (Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
    Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

Abstract

Individual-level Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) case data suggest that certain populations may be more impacted by the pandemic. However, few studies have considered the communities from which positive cases are prevalent, and the variations in testing rates between communities. In this study, we assessed community factors that were associated with COVID-19 testing and test positivity at the census tract level for the Seattle, King County, Washington region at the summer peak of infection in July 2020. Multivariate Poisson regression was used to estimate confirmed case counts, adjusted for testing numbers, which were associated with socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as poverty, educational attainment, transportation cost, as well as with communities with high proportions of people of color. Multivariate models were also used to examine factors associated with testing rates, and found disparities in testing for communities of color and communities with transportation cost barriers. These results demonstrate the ability to identify tract-level indicators of COVID-19 risk and specific communities that are most vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, as well as highlight the ongoing need to ensure access to disease control resources, including information and education, testing, and future vaccination programs in low-SES and highly diverse communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Edmund Seto & Esther Min & Carolyn Ingram & BJ Cummings & Stephanie A. Farquhar, 2020. "Community-Level Factors Associated with COVID-19 Cases and Testing Equity in King County, Washington," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:24:p:9516-:d:464612
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lowcock, E.C. & Rosella, L.C. & Foisy, J. & McGeer, A. & Crowcroft, N., 2012. "The social determinants of health and pandemic h1n1 2009 influenza severity," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(8), pages 51-58.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mullachery, Pricila H. & Li, Ran & Melly, Steven & Kolker, Jennifer & Barber, Sharrelle & Diez Roux, Ana V. & Bilal, Usama, 2022. "Inequities in spatial accessibility to COVID-19 testing in 30 large US cities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 310(C).

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