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Abstract

Background

Population-based studies characterising outcomes of COVID-19 in European settings are limited, and effects of socio-economic status (SES) on outcomes have not been widely investigated.

Aim

We describe the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 cases, highlighting incidence and mortality rate differences across SES during the first wave in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Methods

This population-based study reports individual-level data of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases diagnosed from 24 February to 4 May 2020, notified to the Public Health Agency of Barcelona and followed until 15 June 2020. We analysed end-of-study vital status and the effects of chronic conditions on mortality using logistic regression. Geocoded addresses were linked to basic health area SES data, estimated using the composed socio-economic index. We estimated age-standardised incidence, hospitalisation, and mortality rates by SES.

Results

Of 15,554 COVID-19-confirmed cases, the majority were women (n = 9,028; 58%), median age was 63 years (interquartile range: 46–83), 8,046 (54%) required hospitalisation, and 2,287 (15%) cases died. Prevalence of chronic conditions varied across SES, and multiple chronic conditions increased risk of death (≥ 3, adjusted odds ratio: 2.3). Age-standardised rates (incidence, hospitalisation, mortality) were highest in the most deprived SES quartile (incidence: 1,011 (95% confidence interval (CI): 975–1,047); hospitalisation: 619 (95% CI: 591–648); mortality: 150 (95% CI: 136–165)) and lowest in the most affluent (incidence: 784 (95% CI: 759–809); hospitalisation: 400 (95% CI: 382–418); mortality: 121 (95% CI: 112–131)).

Conclusions

COVID-19 outcomes varied markedly across SES, underscoring the need to implement effective preventive strategies for vulnerable populations.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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2021-05-20
2024-04-16
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.20.2001138
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Epidemiological characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 cases: mortality inequalities by socio-economic status, Barcelona, Spain, 24 February to 4 May 2020
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Julieta+Politi&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Politi Julieta</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Mario+Mart%C3%ADn-S%C3%A1nchez&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Martín-Sánchez Mario</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Lilas+Mercuriali&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Mercuriali Lilas</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Blanca+Borras-Bermejo&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Borras-Bermejo Blanca</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Joaqu%C3%ADn+Lopez-Contreras&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Lopez-Contreras Joaquín</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Anna+Vilella&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Vilella Anna</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Judit+Villar&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Villar Judit</a>, <a href="/search?value1=COVID-19+Surveillance+Working+Group+of+Barcelona&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">COVID-19 Surveillance Working Group of Barcelona</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Angels+Orcau&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Orcau Angels</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Patricia+Garcia+de+Olalla&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">de Olalla Patricia Garcia</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Cristina+Rius&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Rius Cristina</a></span>. Epidemiological characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 cases: mortality inequalities by socio-economic status, Barcelona, Spain, 24 February to 4 May 2020 . <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2021;26(20):pii=2001138. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.20.2001138" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.20.2001138</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 07 Jun 2020;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 09 Feb 2021 </span> </p>
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.20.2001138
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.20.2001138
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