Study: COVID-19 disparities associated with higher work, home exposure

Disproportionate rates of COVID-19 illness and death among racial and ethnic minorities likely stem from a higher probability of exposure to the virus at work and at home, according to a study by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality researchers published this week in Health Affairs. Based on data from the agency’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, the authors identified large racial-ethnic differences in job characteristics, with blacks more likely than whites to work in the health sector, public safety and public utilities; Hispanics more likely to work in food-related jobs; and blacks and Hispanics less likely to be able to work at home.