Disparities in vulnerability to complications from COVID-19 arising from disparities in preexisting conditions in the United States
The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified US health disparities. Though disparities in COVID-
19 hospitalization by race-ethnicity are large, disparities by income and education have not
been studied. Using an index based on preexisting health conditions and age, we estimate
disparities in vulnerability to hospitalization from COVID-19 by income, education, and race-
ethnicity for US adults. The index uses estimates of health condition and age effects on
hospitalization for respiratory distress prior to the pandemic validated on COVID-19 …
19 hospitalization by race-ethnicity are large, disparities by income and education have not
been studied. Using an index based on preexisting health conditions and age, we estimate
disparities in vulnerability to hospitalization from COVID-19 by income, education, and race-
ethnicity for US adults. The index uses estimates of health condition and age effects on
hospitalization for respiratory distress prior to the pandemic validated on COVID-19 …
