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Participatory Approaches to Addressing Missing COVID-19 Race and Ethnicity Data

Author

Listed:
  • Farah Kader

    (School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Clyde Lanford Smith

    (Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
    Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA)

Abstract

Varying dimensions of social, environmental, and economic vulnerability can lead to drastically different health outcomes. The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-19) pandemic exposes how the intersection of these vulnerabilities with individual behavior, healthcare access, and pre-existing conditions can lead to disproportionate risks of morbidity and mortality from the virus-induced illness, COVID-19. The available data shows that those who are black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) bear the brunt of this risk; however, missing data on race/ethnicity from federal, state, and local agencies impedes nuanced understanding of health disparities. In this commentary, we summarize the link between racism and COVID-19 disparities and the extent of missing data on race/ethnicity in critical COVID-19 reporting. In addition, we provide an overview of the current literature on missing demographic data in the US and hypothesize how racism contributes to nonresponse in health reporting broadly. Finally, we argue that health departments and healthcare systems must engage communities of color to co-develop race/ethnicity data collection processes as part of a comprehensive strategy for achieving health equity.

Suggested Citation

  • Farah Kader & Clyde Lanford Smith, 2021. "Participatory Approaches to Addressing Missing COVID-19 Race and Ethnicity Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-11, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:12:p:6559-:d:577202
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Heeju Sohn, 2017. "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Insurance Coverage: Dynamics of Gaining and Losing Coverage Over the Life-Course," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 36(2), pages 181-201, April.
    2. Swope, Carolyn B. & Hernández, Diana, 2019. "Housing as a determinant of health equity: A conceptual model," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    3. Thomas, S.B., 2001. "The color line: Race matters in the elimination of health disparities," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 91(7), pages 1046-1048.
    4. Matthew Hall & Kelly Musick & Youngmin Yi, 2019. "Living Arrangements and Household Complexity among Undocumented Immigrants," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 45(1), pages 81-101, March.
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    1. Hannah Howland & Vadim Keyser, 2023. "Built environment as interface: a relation-based framework for the intersections between built, biotic, social, and health processes during COVID-19 and beyond," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-20, December.

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