Full Citation
Title: Racial and ethnic inequities in occupational exposure across and between US cities
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2021
ISBN:
ISSN: 2352-8273
DOI: 10.1016/J.SSMPH.2021.100959
NSFID:
PMCID:
PMID:
Abstract: Research suggests that racial/ethnic disparities in COVID-19 in the US are largely driven by higher rates of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 among Hispanic/Latino and Black populations. Occupational exposures play a large role in structuring risk of exposure, and essential workers are at elevated risk of COVID-19 infection. At a national-level, workers categorized as “essential” and “high-risk” are disproportionately Hispanic/Latino, but we lack analysis examining local-level racial/ethnic disparities in potential occupational exposures. Using the 2015–2019 5-year American Community Survey, we estimated disparities between the proportion of US Born Hispanic/Latino, foreign-born Hispanic/Latino, and non-Hispanic white (NHW) essential or high-risk workers in 27 of the largest metropolitan areas in the country. We found that, on average, 66.3%, 69.9%, and 62.6% of US-born Hispanics, foreign-born Hispanics, and NHW, respectively, are essential workers, while 50.7%, 49.9%, 49.5% are high exposure risk workers, respectively. The median absolute difference in proportions of US born Hispanic/Latino and NHW essential workers was 4.2%, and between foreign-born Hispanic/Latino and NHW essential workers was 7.5%, but these disparities varied widely by city. High likelihood of occupational transmission may help explain disparities in COVID-19 infection and mortality for Hispanic/Latino populations, especially foreign-born, and may also help explain heterogeneity in the magnitude of these disparities, with relevance for other acute infectious respiratory illnesses spread in the workplace.
Url: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100959
User Submitted?: No
Authors: Schnake-Mahl, Alina S.; Lazo, Mariana; Dureja, Kristina; Ehtesham, Nahian; Bilal, Usama
Periodical (Full): SSM - Population Health
Issue:
Volume: 16
Pages: 100959
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Labor Force and Occupational Structure, Population Data Science, Race and Ethnicity
Countries: