The disparity in outcomes during Covid has been well documented in terms of ethnic minorities, who are not only more likely to have died from the virus but also suffered economic hardship.  New research from Oregon State University finds that these disparities are especially pronounced when those people live in rural locations.

To ensure this disparity doesn’t widen as the vaccines are rolled out around the world, the researchers urge additional resources to be deployed in rural areas by policymakers.

Unequal outcomes

The researchers highlight how previous studies have shown the key social determinants of health, such as poverty and access to healthcare have played a key role in the risk people face from Covid. Racial and ethnic minorities consistently fare worse for such social determinants.

Unfortunately, people living in rural areas face a double whammy, as the rural location exacerbates the risks racial and ethnic minorities already face.

“It would not be ideal to say that ‘rural versus urban’ is a standalone thing. It has to be intertwined with the racial and ethnic disparity as well to account for the disparate risk levels,” the researchers say.

The study found that people living in either mostly rural or completely rural settings were up between 15-26% more likely to die from Covid than their peers in mostly urban environments.  This was especially so for Black, Hispanic, and Latino people.

Highly vulnerable

“Generally, minorities are on the lower end of the spectrum for socioeconomic status. This may result in a need for them to work in occupations where they’re in contact with a lot of other people, which puts them in more circumstances that are more prone to the spread of the virus,” the researchers explain.

What’s more, most blue-collar jobs in rural areas are in agriculture, which is obviously a profession that can’t be performed from home during the pandemic.  There are also, of course, clearly some socioeconomic factors at play and even structural racism that influence health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities.

This results in minorities not only being at higher risk of catching COVID but also at higher risk of developing the kind of complications that are likely to kill them.

“Compare living in a rural area, where you don’t have a state-of-the-art medical facility with plenty of ventilators, to someone who is living in the city, who has access to all those facilities. We need health care facilities in these rural areas,” the researchers conclude. “Policies should prioritize rural health and the adequate distribution of health resources to meet the needs of the minority populations, especially the distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations.”