196 COVID-19 Hospitalization and Death by Concentrated Racial/Ethnic and Economic Segregation: Los Angeles County, January 2020-June 2023

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: This study aims to assess associations over time between several area-based indices of concentration at the extremes and COVID-19 hospitalization and death in Los Angeles County, from January 2020 to June 2023. These measures reflect concentrations of racial/ethnic and economic segregation at the census tract level. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Indices of concentration at the extremes (ICEs) for economic segregation, racial/ethnic segregation, and a combination of the two were constructed for each Los Angeles County (LAC) census tract, using 2015-2019 ACS data. The index ranges from -1 to 1 and is the number of advantaged households (HH) minus the number of disadvantaged HH over the total number of HH measured. Economic segregation is HH income over $100,000 vs. below $25,000 per year and racial/ethnic segregation defined as White and Non-Hispanic vs. non-White or Hispanic HH. The distribution of index scores was divided into quintiles (Q1-Q5) for all LAC census tracts. Age-adjusted hospitalization and death rates were derived at the census tract level by quarter (QTR) based on Los Angeles County Department of Public Health surveillance data. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Age-adjusted hospitalization and death rates were consistently higher across all quarters in Q1 (most deprived) vs. Q5 (most privileged) for all ICE measures. For ICE of economic segregation, the age-adjusted hospitalization and death rate ratios between Q1 and Q5 were 2.12 (range: 1.32 - 4.15; peak 2020 QTR2) and 2.02 (range: 1.46 - 3.21; peak 2021 QTR1), respectively. For ICE of racial segregation, the age-adjusted hospitalization and death rate ratio between Q1 and Q5 was 2.03 (range: 1.08 - 3.95; peak 2020 QTR3) and 1.77 (range: 1.03 - 2.80; peak 2021 QTR1). The ICE of economic/racial segregation combined was the highest, with averages of the age-adjusted hospitalization and death rate ratios between Q1 and Q5 being 2.26 (1.16 - 4.43; peak 2020 QTR2) and 1.99 (range: 1.22 - 3.32; peak 2021 QTR1). DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study assesses the impact of geographic segregation based on indices that quantify the concentration of both deprivation, privilege, and racial/ethnic group, demonstrating that segregation and economic deprivation are consistently associated with higher rates of age-adjusted hospitalization and death from COVID-19 in LAC.