The Global Society on
Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Health
Resources - National
Afghanistan
Luke P Dawson, Luke Burchill, Jessica O’Brien, Diem Dinh, Stephen J Duffy, Dion Stub, Angela Brennan, David Clark, Ernesto Oqueli, Chin Hiew, Melanie Freeman, Christopher M Reid, Andrew E Ajani, on behalf of the Melbourne Interventional Group Investigators. (Lancet Global Health)
In a large study of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in urban and larger regional centres, 0.4% were recorded as Indigenous Australians. They were on average younger, more often women, and more likely to have comorbidities. Having had PCI, Indigenous Australians had increased risk of mortality and adverse cardiac events compared to non-Indigenous Australians. Clinically effective and culturally safe care pathways are urgently needed to improve health outcomes among Indigenous Australians who are having PCI.
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Hepatocellular carcinoma amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia (June 2021)
Alan J Wigg, Sumudu K Narayana, Gunter Hartel, Linda Medlin, Greg Pratt, Elizabeth E. Powell, Paul Clark, Jane Davies, Kirsty Campbell, Maree Toombs, Michael Larkin, Patricia C Valery. (EClinical Medicine)
Compared with non-Indigenous Australians with hepatocellular cancer (HCC), this study found Indigenous Australians with HCC were on average younger at onset. A higher proportion were female, lived in rural areas, had lower socioeconomic status, and had a higher comorbidity burden. They also had higher prevalences of alcohol misuse, hepatitis B, and diabetes and more frequent presence of multiple HCC cofactors.
Sue Kildea, Yu Gao, Sophie Hickey, Carmel Nelson, Sue Kruske, Adrian Carson, Jody Currie, Maree Reynolds, Kay Wilson, Kristie Watego, Jo Costello, Yvette Roe (Lancet Global Health)
This study has shown the clinical effectiveness of the Birthing on Country (BiOC) service, which was co-designed by stakeholders and underpinned by Birthing on Country principles. The widespread scale-up of this new service should be prioritised. Dedicated funding, knowledge translation, and implementation science are needed to ensure all First Nations families can access Birthing on Country services that are adapted for their specific contexts.
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A cross-jurisdictional research collaboration aiming to improve health outcomes in the tropical north of Australia (March 2021)
Kevin Williams, Sean Rung, Heather D’Antoine, Bart J. Currie (Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific)
The paper describes the Australian HOT North (Improving Health Outcomes in the Tropical North). This is designed to tackle the increasing urban-rural/remote health divide by focusing on three components of the health research ecosystem-researcher retention and recruitment, researcher-practitioner collaborations, and knowledge transfer by forming cross-jurisdictional and multi-disciplinary networks and delivering on-country knowledge translation. The aim is to reduce the health inequities between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the non-Indigenous population.
Australia
Canada
Amy Hui, Wanda Philips-Beck, Rhonda Campbell, Stephanie Sinclair, Connie Kuzdak, Erin Courchene, Maxine Roulette, Wendy Mousseau, Doloris Beaulieu, Eric Wood, Gloria Munroe, Frances Desjarlais, Sora Ludwig, Brandy Wicklow, Jonathan McGavock, Elizabeth Sellers, Nathan Nickel, Depeng Jiang, Kellie Thiessen, Christy Pylypjuk, Margaret Morris, Garry X. Shen. (EClinical Medicine)
The findings suggest that online prenatal education is feasible and effective for improving the breastfeeding rate and engaging pregnant women to participate in the prenatal program in rural or remote First Nation communities in Canada. The online prenatal education remained active during COVID-19 in the participating communities, which suggests an opportunity to expand online prenatal education in other Indigenous communities.
Ecuador
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Excess deaths reveal the true spatial, temporal and demographic impact of COVID-19 on mortality in Ecuador (July 2021)
Leticia Cuellar, Irene Torres, Ethan Romero-Severson, Riya Mahesh, Nathaniel Ortega, Sarah Pungitore, Nicolas Hengartner and Ruian Ke.(Int J Epidemiology)
This paper shows that deaths in Ecuador from 1 January to 23 September 2020 were 71% higher than the expected number in the same period in a typical year. In some provinces, deaths were more than double the expected number. Only 20% of the excess deaths were due to confirmed cases of COVID-19, with the assumption that most if not all of the remainder were unreported cases of COVID-19. Analysis by ethnicity showed that the highest rates of excess deaths were among Indigenous groups. When analysed by age and sex, young Indigenous women were at much higher risk than women of the same age in other groups.
Germany
Marie Tallarek, Kayvan Bozorgmehr and Jacob Spallek (BMJ Global Health)
This article argues that pre-existing discrimination against asylum seekers and refugees has been exacerbated by COVID-19. "Inclusionary and diversity-sensitive approaches to public health not only serve human rights but also contribute to better health for everyone."
Ghana
Jessica Michgelsen, Daniel Boateng, Karlijn A.C. Meeks, Erik Beune, Juliet Addo, Silver Bahendeka, Karien Stronks and Charles Agyemang (Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 2451)
This study concluded that Christian religious Ghanaian men living in Europe seem to have lower CVD risk compared with their non-religious counterparts, while Christian religious women in Ghana appear to have increased CVD risk..
Italy
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Undocumented migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic: socio-economic determinants, clinical features and pharmacological treatment (December 2020)
Gianfrancesco Fiorini and eight colleagues, Journal of Public Health Research
This is thought to be the first study describing health conditions among undocumented migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The records were examined of 272 undocumented migrants with respiratory symptoms attending a clinic in Milan, Italy. Eighteen were found to have COVID-19 and all had risk factors predisposing them to COVID-19. These results are discussed in the light of the need to provide better healthcare for undocumented migrants.
New Zealand
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Home modifications to prevent home fall injuries in houses with Māori occupants (MHIPI): a randomised controlled trial (August 2021)
Michael D Keall, Hope Tupara, Nevil Pierse, Marg Wilkie, Michael G Baker, Philippa Howden-Chapman, Chris Cunningham (Lancet Public Health)
This study aimed to assess the rate of fall injuries at home with and without home modifications in houses with Māori occupants. After adjustment for previous falls and geographical region, there was an estimated 31% reduction in the rate of fall injuries at home per year in households exposed to the intervention compared with those in the control group.
Amanda Kvalsvig, Nick Wilson, Cheryl Davies, Carmen Timu-Parata, Virginia Signal, Michael G. Baker. (Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific)
Aotearoa New Zealand’s (NZ) initial pandemic response communication and implementation contributed to successful elimination of Covid-19. However, it no longer aligns well with new evidence and the much more sophisticated response to recent outbreaks, where the aim is to maximise health benefits while minimising social and economic harm. Importantly, several aspects of the Alert Level design and implementation have not worked adequately for Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa NZ. In this proposed revision the authors consider the evolving requirements for the system to address outbreaks before the population is substantially vaccinated and to establish a more sustainable future role in protecting population health.
Nordic Countries
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Coming of Age in Exile (CAGE) - Health and socio-economic inequalities in young refugees in the Nordic welfare societies (December 2020)
This report compares policies on education, health and the labour market and their impact on young migrants in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. It also includes a comparative study of unaccompanied refugee minors in Norway and Sweden.
United Kingdom
Christine Campbell, Anne Douglas, Linda Williams, Geneviève Cezard, David H Brewster, Duncan Buchanan, Kathryn Robb, Greig Stanners, David Weller, Robert JC Steele, Markus Steiner, Raj Bhopal. (BMJ Open)
This study found important variations in uptake of bowel cancer screening by ethnic group and religion in Scotland, for both sexes, that require further research and targeted interventions.
Charlotte Woodhead and 16 colleagues - Ethnicity & Health, DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2021.1936464
This qualitative study explores in detail the range of attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination in a sample of 25 clinical and management staff of differing ethnic backgrounds, seeking explanations for why some are much more hesitant about accepting the vaccine than others. (A summary of the study for non-professional readership can be found HERE ).
Mathur R et al, Lancet
This large study found that some minority ethnic populations in England have excess risks of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 and of adverse COVID-19 outcomes compared with the White population, even after accounting for differences in sociodemographic, clinical, and household characteristics. Causes are likely to be multifactorial, and delineating the exact mechanisms is crucial. Tackling ethnic inequalities will require action across many fronts, including reducing structural inequalities, addressing barriers to equitable care, and improving uptake of testing and vaccination.
Raghib Ali, Avirup Chowdhury, Nita Forouhi, Nick Wareham. MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge.
This report provides much of the detail that contributed to the Health Chapter of the Commission report. It draws heavily on work carried out by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Scottish Health and Ethnicity Linkage Study. It examines the relationships between health, ethnicity and socio-economic circumstances, and demonstrates that, as the analysis by ethnic group and by disease or health condition becomes more detailed e.g. from South Asian to Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi or from overall mortality to heart disease and cancer types, so a more complex picture of advantage and disadvantage emerges.
This wide-ranging report from 10 Government-appointed commissioners, all but one of whom has an ethnic minority background, has generated huge controversy. While acknowledging that racism and ethnic inequalities persist, it argues that considerable progress has been made in recent decades. In particular, it demonstrates the complexity of the variations in health, with some ethnic minorities faring better than the White majority in overall life-expectancy and pointing out, for example, that the White majority has the highest death rates due to 9 of the 11 most common forms of cancer.
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Mitigating ethnic disparities in covid-19 and beyond (January 2021)
Razai M, Kankam HKN, Majeed A, Esmail A, Williams D. ,British Medical Journal
The authors argue that although socioeconomic status partly explains ethnic disparities seen with covid-19, cultural and structural racism also adversely affect health.
Laurence Gruer and 10 colleagues, Journal of Public Health
This is the last analysis from Phase 4 of the Scottish Health and Ethnicity Linkage Study (SHELS). It examines rates of hospitalisations and deaths related to all infections and 15 different infection categories. It also looks at ethnic differences for serological diagnoses of HIV, HBV and HBC. The study demonstrates very varied, and sometimes enormous, ethnic differences, pointing to a complex mix of causative factors. The paper also provides a useful context for the recent findings of higher rates of morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 among some ethnic minorities in the UK.
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Raising ethnicity recording in NHS Lothian from 3% to 90% in 3 years: processes and analysis of data from Accidents and Emergencies (December 2020)
Emma M. Davidson, Anne Douglas, Nazmy Villarroel, Katy Dimmock, Dermot Gorman, Raj S. Bhopal.
Journal of Public Health
This article describes how the National Health Service in Lothian (the region in Scotland, UK, that includes Edinburgh) succeeded in increasing the recording of the ethnicity of patients attending hospital from 3% to 90% in three years. The focus is on attendances for Accidents and Emergencies. This is an impressive achievement. However, another recent article from Scotland (below December 2019) shows that even if ethnicity recording rates are relatively high, they may not be enough to enable reliable comparisons between ethnic groups to be made.
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Black people, racism and human rights (November 2020)
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Beyond the data: Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on BAME groups (June 2020)
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Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19 (June 2020)
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The challenge of using routinely collected data to compare hospital admission rates by ethnic group: a demonstration project in Scotland (December 2019)
S. Knox, RS. Bhopal, CS. Thomson, A. Millard, A. Fraser, L. Gruer, D. Buchanan
Journal of Public Health
This article analyses in-patient rates by ethnicity in Scottish Hospitals in 2013. It reports that the completeness of ethnicity coding on hospital admission records was 76%, a marked improvement since 2010. However, the validity of admission rates based on these data was variable across ethnic groups and further improvements are required to support monitoring of inequality.
United States of America
M Lazo and colleagues, Drexel University.
Latino communities in Philadelphia have been disproportionately affected by both the public health and the social components of this pandemic. The Latino population of Philadelphia has seen some of the highest incidence, hospitalization, and mortality rates of all racial/ethnic groups in the city, and have had the lowest rates of testing. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health, together with multiple partners of the community responded decisively and earnestly to address the needs of the Latino population. However, disparities have remained which suggest that additional efforts will be needed to address the fundamental drivers of differential exposures and vulnerability levels.
This is a complex, well-organised website providing a wealth of quantitative data from twelve of largest US cities, comparing cities, ethnic/racial groups within cities, neighbourhoods etc. Inequities abound in every dimension, showing in particular the way in which African American and Latinx/Hispanic communities have faired least well in the pandemic, but to a varying extent in different cities.
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Covid Racial Data Tracker (Website)
This is a collaboration between the Covid Tracking Project and the Boston University Center for Antiracism Research. It provides constantly updated data on Covid-19 cases and deaths by race and ethnicity in most US states and territories.
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Race, Racism and the Law (Website)
This web encyclopaedia offers numerous articles about racism and health in the United States. It has a section devoted to Covid-19, including a link to the Covid Racial Data Tracker.
This report by the American Medical Association focuses on Latinx/Hispanic communities, who make up 18% of the US population but have had 33% of Covid-19 cases. It draws on information provided by 30-45 minute interviews with 16 people with knowledge and experience of how pre-existing circumstances have combined with the pandemic to impact on Latinx communities. While arguably from too narrow a range of spokespersons to give a complete picture, nevertheless the report achieves its aim of providing "guidance in identifying and understanding the vulnerabilities, needs and opportunities present in the Latinx community in order to allow physicians, essential health care workers and health care organizations to serve this community in a more equitable manner."
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Racial And Ethnic Inequities In Children’s Neighborhoods: Evidence From The New Child Opportunity Index 2.0 (October 2020)
Dolores Acevedo-Garcia and nine colleagues, Health Affairs
This study uses a composite metric to assess the neighbourhood conditions that children experience today across the US. Overall, the Child Opportunity Score for White children (73) was much higher than for Black (24) and Hispanic (33) children. The authors conclude that to improve children’s health and well-being, the health sector must move beyond a focus on treating disease or modifying individual behaviour to a broader focus on neighbourhood conditions.
S Barber and colleagues, Drexel University
Racially segregated communities in Philadelphia are being disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Neighborhoods with the highest levels of residential segregation are more likely to have structural characteristics that increase likelihood of exposure, community transmission, and mortality, making segregation a fundamental driver of racial inequities in the city. These findings have implications for both short- and long-term multi-sectoral solutions to mitigate inequities.