Auburn expert shares insight on COVID-19 and the African-American community

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The African-American community has been hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic than other populations. Onikia Brown, associate professor and registered dietitian in Auburn’s College of Human Sciences, shares the health and environmental factors that drive those disproportionate results.

How is COVID-19 affecting the African-American community compared to other populations?

COVID-19, like many other diseases, has disproportionately affected the African-American population. A higher percentage of African-Americans are testing positive for the disease – 74 percent positive rate vs. 59 percent positive rate of whites – being hospitalized because of the disease and dying from the disease than whites. Further research and culturally acceptable solutions are needed to prevent further exposure and mortality of COVID-19 and other health disparities.

What do we know about the African-American population and risk factors such as diabetes or heart disease? Do these risk factors make African-Americans more susceptible to COVID-19?

African Americans are at a higher risk for nutrition-related chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s disease, lung disease and stroke. The risks of these diseases increase with inactivity, diets high in refined sugar and saturated fats, diets low in fiber, family history and alcohol/tobacco use. Poor access to adequate and healthy food, poor access to excellent health care, unsafe neighborhoods, unequal educational opportunities and systemic racism support health disparities. The risk factors of nutrition-related chronic diseases are important when considering the impact of COVID-19 in the African-American population because they are the same factors that make African-Americans more susceptible to COVID-19. More African Americans have diabetes and heart disease compared to white Americans; these diseases can weaken the immune system, thus making individuals with chronic diseases more susceptible to COVID-19.

African Americans have been hit harder by the virus than other populations. Does this speak to a lack of health care access and resources? Are there any other factors that could point to the startling and disproportionate statistics we're seeing?

Not only does the lack of access to adequate health care influence the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 in the African-American population, but other factors include the built-environment: Many African-Americans live and work in densely populated areas; rely on mass transit for transportation; lack trust of doctors, research and the U.S. government. The majority of African Americans live in areas with poor access to adequate and healthy food and/or in areas that are saturated by fast-food establishments. Some may travel 40 minutes or more to purchase groceries of good quality and variety. Along with adequate health care, health literacy is low. Before COVID-19 became a pandemic, some African Americans did not believe that African Americans could contract the disease. As a result, many continued to attend social and religious gatherings without caution. Many continued to go to work because they did not have the option to work from home; No work means no pay. Compared to white Americans, African Americans are under-educated, under-employed, under-financed and over-incarcerated. These variables speak to the existence of systemic racism and exacerbate the impact of COVID-19 in the African-American population.

What online resources can people take advantage of during this time?

Helpline Center: Responding to COVID-19

CDC: What You Can DO

CDC: How to Protect Yourself & Others

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