Racial Capitalism and Neighborhood Health Disparities: the COVID-19 in California Counties

Abstract

Purpose This article explores the association between racial capitalism and neighborhood-level health disparities, with a particular focus on COVID-19 in California. Methods This article investigates COVID-19 incidence in 58 California counties. To account for racial capitalism, the study looks at the per capita incomes ratios (1) between whites and Blacks and (2) between whites and Hispanics. Other county-level neighborhood characteristics were controlled. Results Findings from spatial autoregressive models indicate that increases in white-Black and white-Hispanic income disadvantages lead to an increase in COVID-19 incidence in 58 California counties. Findings also reveal that the disadvantage that results from the white-Black income ratio in COVID-19 spread decreases in counties that report high levels of income inequality between whites and Hispanics. Discussion Findings indicate that a greater income disadvantage for racial minorities is connected to a more COVID-19 incidence. With regard to racial demographics in California, the interaction effect between measures for racial income disadvantages is discussed.

Spatial Analysis of Racial Capitalism and COVID-19 in Louisiana

“…To understand the association between racial and socioeconomic inequality and COVID-19 in Louisiana, we used prior studies on the factors contributing to COVID-19 outcomes at the county level (Andersen et al, 2021;Oh, 2023;Sun et al, 2020). Our unit of analysis was the parish, which corresponds to a county in other U.S. states.…”

“…The race-based differences have garnered attention from the U.S. Surgeon General, the public, and recent public health and sociological research publications (Oh, 2023;Romano et al, 2021).…”

“…The race-based differences have garnered attention from the U.S. Surgeon General, the public, and recent public health and sociological research publications (Oh, 2023;Romano et al, 2021).Various factors contributed to the uneven risk of COVID-19 exposure by race and ethnicity. For example, racial disparities in occupational risks were associated with limited options to work remotely, inadequate access to personal protective equipment, and di culties in maintaining social distancing at the workplace (Chen et al, 2021).…”

“…Moreover, residents in these communities are also disproportionately affected by chronic health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and renal diseases that signi cantly increase their vulnerability to COVID-19-related mortality. Undeniably, such enduring, substantial, and complex links between racism and socioeconomic disparities intensify the risk of adverse health outcomes, including COVID-19 incidence, mortality, and hospitalization (Egbert, 2020;Hooper et al, 2020;Oh, 2023;Romano et al, 2021). This article uses insights from existing literature to shed light on the connections between racial capitalism and disparities in neighborhood health, particularly in the context of COVID-19 in Louisiana.…”