Latinx Health Disparities Research During COVID-19: Challenges and Innovations

Abstract

Background The Center for Latino Health Research Opportunities (CLaRO) supports and facilitates research addressing substance abuse, violence/trauma, and HIV/AIDS among diverse and underserved Latinx populations. CLaRO runs a pilot awards program for early-stage investigators conducting Latinx health disparities research. This pilot awards program was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating innovative responses for research continuity. Purpose The purpose of this commentary is to describe the challenges and innovative research methods developed in response to COVID-19 to continue Latinx health disparities research in the context of COVID-19. Methods/Results This commentary provides a brief description of each CLaRO pilot project, the challenges introduced by COVID-19, and innovative research methods to continue Latinx health disparities research during and beyond COVID-19. Conclusions Despite the challenges COVID-19 presents to the continuity of health disparities research, it also presents unprecedented opportunities to innovate. Such innovation is essential for solving persistent scientific, public health, and clinical challenges underlying current and emerging health disparities.

How Can I Get COVID?: Understanding Differences in American Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Men’s Risk Perception

“…Second, the sample is predominantly White and highly educated. With a more racially and economically diverse sample, we may expect to observe greater variation in cognitions around COVID-19, as racial and ethnic minorities, those with lower education levels, and those with lower socioeconomic standing are more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection (; Hooper et al, 2020 ; Harkness et al, 2020 ; Hirko et al, 2020 ) and less likely to receive adequate care (Egede & Walker, 2020 ; Li & Galea, 2020 ). The sampling strategies recommended above should be considered by future researchers in this area in an effort to document these disparate cognitions and related needs.…”

A Mobile Primary Care Clinic Mitigates an Early COVID-19 Outbreak Among Migrant Farmworkers in Iowa

“…of this reported early season outbreak, it is indeed fortunate that the first and only symptomatic worker was identified on a Proteus symptom screen during a primary care visit complaining of wrist pain, thus enabling a prompt response by Proteus staff. Since this early outbreak, there have been increasing data in the scientific literature that confirms the greater burden of disease experienced by Latinx populations across the country [24,25]. We have known that many Latinx populations, including migrant and seasonal farmworkers, experience many chronic health conditions [26], which may lead to more serious illness as a result of COVID-19 infection.…”

Race, Ethnicity, Nativity and Perceptions of Health Risk during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has had a greater worldwide impact than other public health threats in recent memory, and its full effects are yet to be realized [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 59 ]. As such, we do not know to what extent our findings might generalize to other places, settings, and times.…”

“…However, the effects of the virus have not been equally distributed, with countries that explicitly prioritized economic incentives above public health having greater numbers of cases and fatalities [ 1 ]. Furthermore, there are widespread inequities in countries such as the United States, with the COVID-19 pandemic having disproportionate effects on communities of color, further exacerbating existing healthcare disparities [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Yet, while increasing evidence points to the greater threat posed by COVID-19 to Latinx communities, less is known about how identification as Hispanic/Latinx and migration status influence individuals’ perception of risk and harm.…”