Blacks and Asians are at high risk of suffering from really serious Covid-19

The Chief Medical Officer of the United Kingdom has confirmed that blacks and Asians are actually at increased risk of suffering from serious Covid-19.

Researchers at King’s College London (KCL) have found new evidence that blacks are more likely to be hospitalized for Covid and Asians are at increased risk of dying from the virus in hospitals.

The findings show that black and mixed-race patients are three times more likely to require hospitalization when infected with Covid-19 than whites in the same area.

The new study provides answers to well-discussed questions about why and how BAME people are hit harder by the coronavirus.

Professor Chris Whitti commented on the new discovery, saying: “There is now clear evidence that blacks and ethnic minority groups are more seriously affected by COVID-19.

“This NIHR-backed study shows how different groups are affected and provides important information to help healthcare professionals provide the best possible treatment for ethnic minority patients. I will. “

Burden

In a new study, KCL researchers found that ethnic minority people were more burdened with Covid-19 than white patients.

They also found that black and Asian patients were affected at various stages of the disease.

Professor Ajay Shah, a KCL cardiologist and cardiologist at King’s College Hospital, said the findings were “impressive”, suggesting that biological factors were at work.

He states: “The impact of black and Asian patients is quite different, and the finding that significant risk continues after deprivation and long-term health adjustments is impressive.

“Perhaps other biological factors are important, strongly suggesting that different ethnic groups may require different treatment strategies.

“For black patients, the question may be how to prevent mild infections from progressing severely, but for Asian patients, how to treat life-threatening complications. . “

The study examined data from more than 1,800 adult patients who were primarily diagnosed with Covid-19 between March 1 and June 2, 2020 and were admitted to King’s College Hospital in southeast London.

The researchers analyzed the mortality rate of this group and compared a subset of 872 patients admitted from inland areas in southeast London.

Almost half (48.1%) of the patients were black, one-third (33.7%) were white, one in ten (12.6%) was mixed, and one in 20 (5.6%) was Asian. ..

Approximately 3,500 matching controls living in the same area were used to determine how ethnic backgrounds were associated with the need for hospitalization for serious illness.

City center

Researchers have found that black and mixed-ethnic patients are three times more likely to require hospitalization with Covid-19 than white urban residents in the same area.

By adapting to these factors, this is only partially explained by underlying health and deprivation, but black patients are still 2.2 to 2.7 times more at risk of hospitalization.

However, the chances of survival in the hospital were not significantly different from those of Caucasian patients.

In contrast, Asian patients were not at higher risk of requiring hospitalization with COVID-19 than Caucasian patients, but in-hospital mortality and the need for intensive care unit admission were higher than in the other groups. ..

Researchers have found that ethnic minority patients are 10 to 15 years younger than white patients and have a higher prevalence of underlying health, especially diabetes.

The study found that while underlying health and socio-economic factors contribute to the impact of COVID-19 on minority communities, other factors such as biological factors that affect different subgroups in different ways. It suggests that it may have an important role.

The results of this study may be applicable to London as a whole and similar British cities, but more research is needed to transform it into a multi-ethnic population in other countries.

Dr. Sonya Babnarayan, Associate Medical Director of The Hart Foundation (BHF), said: ..

complicated

“The reason why the coronavirus attacks people with ethnic minority backgrounds more strongly and how to mitigate it is complicated to deal with.

“Blacks, Asians, and other ethnic minority backgrounds often have cardiac and cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and are exposed to socio-economic disadvantages.

“But this study shows that even after these have been explained, there are worse effects of COVID-19.

“Currently, studies to assess how other structural and behavioral factors contribute, such as occupation, access to health messaging and health care, and differences in patient travel after people arrive at the hospital. Is required.

“In the UK, the number of cases of COVID-19 is increasing again, and these disparities need to be addressed urgently.”

The findings were published today (Friday) in the KCL research-led journal EClinical Medicine with the support of the NIHR Guy’s and St Thomas’ Biomedical Research Center and BHF.

This study examines the relationship between ethnic background and the virus SARS-CoV-2.

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