When the number of people infected with COVID-19 virus in the United States has exceeded 1 10,000, there is a problem that is attracting great attention from American public opinion. Why is the mortality rate of COVID-19 cases among the poor and ethnic minorities in the United States surprisingly higher than that of whites?
According to US media reports, top American doctors' organizations are urging the Trump administration to collect data to show which groups died in novel coronavirus. Because, according to the data collected at present, in this epidemic, the mortality rate of African-Americans in COVID-19 is significantly higher than that of whites infected with COVID-19.
There is an American saying, "When white Americans catch a cold, black Americans get pneumonia". This sentence can't be more correct for the COVID-19 epidemic.
Dr. Tai Sen Bell, director of the intensive care unit of the University of Virginia Hospital, said: "Some data released by several States show that when African Americans go to the hospital for medical treatment, their hospitalization rate is higher and their mortality rate is higher."
In Louisiana, African-Americans account for one third of the state's population, but 70% of COVID-19 deaths in Louisiana are African-Americans, and there are similar differences in other states.
The problem of "health inequality" is also manifested in the center of the American epidemic-New York State. According to statistics from relevant departments in new york, Hispanics account for 29% of the population in new york, but 34% died of COVID-19's disease.
70% of COVID-19's deaths in Chicago are African-American, but they only account for 30% of Chicago's total population; In Louisiana, African-Americans account for 32% of the population, but COVID-19 accounts for 70% of the deaths. Due to the inability to afford medical insurance, many African-American and Hispanic groups cannot get enough medical insurance, resulting in an imbalance between the population ratio and the number of deaths.
According to the report, in COVID-19, most of the death cases are elderly people over 60 years old, and age seems to be an important indicator affecting the mortality rate. Ethnic minority groups are relatively younger, but they still bear higher risks of illness and death.
The head of an organization that promotes racial equality believes that poverty is the main reason for this imbalance. Low-paid workers account for a large proportion of ethnic minorities in the United States. Many people work as nurses, nurses and other front-line jobs, or as couriers and drivers who have to go out to make a living. They are more likely to be exposed to the virus and the risk of infection will increase.
According to epidemiologist Nishi chatur Di Wei, the reason for this inequality is not the difference of genetic factors between different races, but the difference of economic, social and cultural levels.
In her view, apart from the relatively high proportion of ethnic minorities engaged in high-risk occupations, there are two other reasons worthy of attention: large families living together for generations are widespread among ethnic minorities, especially Asians; Due to differences in religious beliefs or cultural habits, some ethnic groups often gather in specific religious sites or community centers.
Compared with whites, African-Americans, Hispanics and other ethnic minorities usually have lower incomes. Many of them are employees who have to work in factories or crowded units, and they often can't afford medical expenses.
In addition, Dr. Eliso Perez-Master, an expert on minority health at the National Institutes of Health, said, "We know that more blacks suffer from high blood pressure and more people suffer from heart disease. We know that more Hispanics and African Americans suffer from asthma, and more people suffer from severe asthma. The incidence of diabetes in ethnic minorities is significantly higher than that of whites, often twice as high as that of whites. These are the three common risk factors that have been identified. "
And social distance can prevent diseases, but it is impossible for low-income people in the United States.
Dr. Master said: "If a single mother with three children may be infected, how can she achieve self-isolation?" Suppose she works as a nurse assistant in a hospital. You tell her that you may be infected, and you must isolate yourself. However, she cannot be isolated. She must take care of the children. You can't isolate yourself in a family with only three rooms but eight people. "
Dr Tai Sen Bell, director of the intensive care unit of the University of Virginia Hospital, said: "If your body is not at its best, it means that you are unlikely to take the blow. Therefore, if you have diabetes, it has a considerable inhibitory effect on your immune system. Once you are infected, you are likely to have a worse result. If you have heart disease and infection, your heart must speed up to deliver more blood and nutrients. If you are infected, if you can't do this, the consequences will be even worse. "