TY - JOUR
T1 - Risk of severe illness from COVID-19 among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults
T2 - The construct of ‘vulnerable populations’ obscures the root causes of health inequities
AU - Thurber, Katherine A.
AU - Barrett, Eden M.
AU - Agostino, Jason
AU - Chamberlain, Catherine
AU - Ward, James
AU - Wade, Vicki
AU - Belfrage, Mary
AU - Maddox, Raglan
AU - Peiris, David
AU - Walker, Jennie
AU - Baffour, Bernard
AU - Wenitong, Mark
AU - Law, Charlee
AU - Senior, Timothy
AU - Priest, Naomi
AU - Freeman, Kate
AU - Schramm, Tanya
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Objective: To quantify the prevalence of known health-related risk factors for severe COVID-19 illness among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, and their relationship with social determinants. Methods: Weighted cross-sectional analysis of the 2018-19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey; Odds Ratios for cumulative risk count category (0, 1, or ≥2 health-related risk factors) by social factors calculated using ordered logistic regression. Results: Of the adult population, 42.9%(95%CI:40.6,45.2) had none of the examined health-related risk factors; 38.9%(36.6,41.1) had 1, and 18.2%(16.7,19.7) had ≥2. Adults experiencing relative advantage across social indicators had significantly lower cumulative risk counts, with 30-70% lower odds of being in a higher risk category. Conclusions: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples must continue to be recognised as a priority population in all stages of pandemic preparedness and response as they have disproportionate exposure to social factors associated with risk of severe COVID-19 illness. Indigeneity itself is not a ‘risk’ factor and must be viewed in the wider context of inequities that impact health. Implications for public health: Multi-sectoral responses are required to improve health during and after the COVID-19 pandemic that: enable self-determination; improve incomes, safety, food security and culturally-safe healthcare; and address discrimination and trauma.
AB - Objective: To quantify the prevalence of known health-related risk factors for severe COVID-19 illness among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, and their relationship with social determinants. Methods: Weighted cross-sectional analysis of the 2018-19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey; Odds Ratios for cumulative risk count category (0, 1, or ≥2 health-related risk factors) by social factors calculated using ordered logistic regression. Results: Of the adult population, 42.9%(95%CI:40.6,45.2) had none of the examined health-related risk factors; 38.9%(36.6,41.1) had 1, and 18.2%(16.7,19.7) had ≥2. Adults experiencing relative advantage across social indicators had significantly lower cumulative risk counts, with 30-70% lower odds of being in a higher risk category. Conclusions: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples must continue to be recognised as a priority population in all stages of pandemic preparedness and response as they have disproportionate exposure to social factors associated with risk of severe COVID-19 illness. Indigeneity itself is not a ‘risk’ factor and must be viewed in the wider context of inequities that impact health. Implications for public health: Multi-sectoral responses are required to improve health during and after the COVID-19 pandemic that: enable self-determination; improve incomes, safety, food security and culturally-safe healthcare; and address discrimination and trauma.
KW - COVID-19
KW - racism
KW - risk Factors
KW - social Determinants of Health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85115247244&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1753-6405.13172
DO - 10.1111/1753-6405.13172
M3 - Article
C2 - 34550638
AN - SCOPUS:85115247244
SN - 1326-0200
VL - 45
SP - 658
EP - 663
JO - Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
JF - Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
IS - 6
ER -
