Rural-urban outcome differences associated with COVID-19 hospitalizations in North Carolina

Abstract

People living in rural regions in the United States face more health challenges than their non-rural counterparts which could put them at additional risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Few studies have examined if rurality is associated with additional mortality risk among those hospitalized for COVID-19. We studied a retrospective cohort of 3,991 people hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infections discharged between March 1 and September 30, 2020 in one of 17 hospitals in North Carolina that collaborate as a clinical data research network. Patient demographics, comorbidities, symptoms and laboratory data were examined. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations of rurality with a composite outcome of death/hospice discharge. Comorbidities were more common in the rural patient population as were the number of comorbidities per patient. Overall, 505 patients died prior to discharge and 63 patients were discharged to hospice. Among rural patients, 16.5% died or were discharged to hospice vs. 13.3% in the urban cohort resulting in greater odds of death/hospice discharge (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1, 1.6). This estimate decreased minimally when adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, payer, disease comorbidities, presenting oxygen levels and cytokine levels (adjusted model OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0, 1.5). This analysis demonstrated a higher COVID-19 mortality risk among rural residents of NC. Implementing policy changes may mitigate such disparities going forward.

Monthly excess mortality across counties in the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic, March 2020 to February 2022

“…34 Another consideration is the high prevalence of comorbidities among rural residents that likely increased risk for severe Covid-19 outcomes. 35 Each of these factors may have contributed to the rural mortality disadvantage observed in this study.…”

Monthly excess mortality across counties in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, March 2020 to February 2022

“…This may have affected access to COVID-19 vaccination and treatment, including oral antivirals and monoclonal antibody treatments ( 37 , 38 ). Another consideration is the high prevalence of comorbidities among rural residents that likely increased risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes ( 39 ). Each of these factors may have contributed to the rural mortality disadvantage observed in this study.…”

Assessing the impact of the early COVID-19 era on antibiotic-resistant threats in inpatient settings: A mixed Poisson regression approach

“…Consistent with other studies, 7 , 12 , 15 we used ICD-10-CM codes to identify admissions with CDI (A04.7x), MRSA infection (A41.02 (sepsis), J15.212 (pneumonia), A49.02 (unspecified site), B95.62 (classified elsewhere)), or COVID-19 (U07.1) ( Supplemental Table 1 ). Community- and healthcare-associated infections could not be differentiated.…”

“…NC consists of a diverse population by socioeconomic status and by racial and ethnic groupings of people, spread over a range of metropolitan to non-metropolitan areas, for whom health disparities are established. 15 Further characterization of those at risk for CDI and MRSA infections, infections which have unique, specific International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes, may inform future interventions in NC and other, similar, southern states.…”