The Minority and Rural Coronavirus Insights Study: Design and Baseline Characteristics of a Minority Cohort

Makella S. Coudray, Center for Clinical and Social Research, National Minority Quality Forum, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Shantoy Hansel, Center for Clinical and Social Research, National Minority Quality Forum, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Lina V. Mata-McMurry, Center for Clinical and Social Research, National Minority Quality Forum, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Dora Il'yasova, Center for Clinical and Social Research, National Minority Quality Forum, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
LaTasha Lee, Center for Clinical and Social Research, National Minority Quality Forum, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Nishanth Chalasani, Center for Clinical and Social Research, National Minority Quality Forum, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Christina Edwards, Center for Clinical and Social Research, National Minority Quality Forum, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Gary Puckrein, Center for Clinical and Social Research, National Minority Quality Forum, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
William A. Meyer, Quest Diagnostics, Secaucus, New Jersey, USA.
Latrice G. Landry, Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Gary Wiltz, Teche Action Clinic, Franklin, Louisiana, USA.
Marian Sampson, Osceola Community Health Services, Kissimmee, Florida, USA.
Todd Brandt Dee, Osceola Community Health Services, Kissimmee, Florida, USA.
Paul Gregerson, John Wesley Community Health, Commerce, California, USA.
Charles Barron, Aunt Martha's Health and Wellness, Olympia Fields, Illinois, USA.
Jeffrey Marable, Primary One Health, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Ola Akinboboye, Queens Heart Institute, Queens, New York, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

12-1-2023

Journal

Population health management

Volume

26

Issue

6

DOI

10.1089/pop.2023.0168

Keywords

COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; health disparities; social determinants of health

Abstract

The Minority and Rural Coronavirus Insights Study (MRCIS) is an ongoing prospective cohort study examining health disparities associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection among medically underserved populations. This report describes procedures implemented to establish the MRCIS cohort and examines the factors associated with the molecular and serological assessment of SARS-CoV-2 infection status at participant enrollment. Participants were recruited from 5 geographically dispersed federally qualified health centers between November 2020 and April 2021. At baseline, participants completed a detailed demographic survey and biological samples were collected for testing. SARS-CoV-2 infection status was determined based on the combined molecular and serological test results. Chi-squared and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between sociodemographic factors, COVID-19 safety measures, existing comorbidities, and SARS-CoV-2 infection status. The final cohort included 3238 participants. The mean age of participants was 50.2 ± 15.8 years. Most participants identified as female (60.0%), heterosexual or straight (93.0%), White (47.6%), and Hispanic or Latino (49.1%). Approximately 26.1% of participants had at least one positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. The main effect model included age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Compared with adults ≥65 years, participants in all other age groups had ∼2 times increased odds of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. In addition, racial/ethnic minorities had ∼2 times increased odds of a positive SARS-CoV-2 infection status compared with non-Hispanic Whites. A unique cohort of a traditionally medically underserved minority population was established. Significant racial and ethnic disparities in SARS-CoV-2 infection status at baseline were discovered.

Department

Clinical Research and Leadership

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