Prevalence and Neighborhood Geomapping of COVID-19 in an Underserved Chicago Pregnant Population

Abstract

Objective The Chicago area is known to harbor some of the deepest racial and ethnic socioeconomic inequalities in the United States. We studied the prevalence and neighborhood distribution of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 after implementation of universal screening at an academic hospital providing obstetrical services to an underserved Chicago population.

Study Design From April 16 to June 16, 2020, a total of 369 patients were screened for COVID-19 at University of Illinois at Chicago with either the Abbott Point-of-Care (POC, n = 266) or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test (RT-PCR, n = 101). Patient residential data mapped using ESRI ArcGIS Pro was integrated in ESRI's Living Atlas with the Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Index (NSEI).

Results Precisely, 7.9% (29/369) of screened patients tested positive; 69% (17/29) with the POC test and 31% (12/29) by RT-PCR. The prevalence of an outpatient RT-PCR positive result was 8.9% (9/101). All but one of the 29 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) positive patients were either Hispanic or Black, and the majority resided in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Conclusion The disproportionate hit of COVID-19 pandemic on the Hispanic and Black communities reflects in SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates in the obstetrical population. Our report provides data that may be useful to policy makers when prioritizing resources to communities in need.

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2 - COVID-19 - pregnancy - racial disparity

Authors' Contributions

C.S.B. had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of data analysis. C.S.B, L.G.E., S.R.L., D.N.S., H.A., M.D.S, and I.A.B. supported in conceiving the concept and design, and performed analysis or interpretation of data. H.A., I.A.B., and C.S.B. involved in data collection. I.A.B. and C.S.B. dedicated in drafting of the manuscript and statistical analysis. C.S.B, L.G.E., D.N.S., S.R.L., and M.D.S coordinated in supervision. All authors carried out the critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content.

Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 17. Juli 2020

Angenommen: 16. September 2020

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
03. Dezember 2020

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