Objectives:
To determine whether there are significant differences by ethnicity in the risk of clinically severe outcomes from COVID-19 in Aotearoa New Zealand, measured by the hospitalisation rate and length of hospital stay.
Method:
We developed three separate risk models to quantify the risk of hospitalisation, length of hospital stay and fatality risk. Each model used the same methodology and set of predictor variables.
Findings:
Our results show that an 80-year-old patient with COVID-19 in the NZ European/Other group without reported comorbidities has the same predicted risk of hospitalisation as a 59.3-year-old (95% CI 46.9–73.7 years old) patient in the Māori group without reported comorbidities. Similarly, an 80-year-old patient in the NZ European/Other group without reported comorbidities has the same predicted risk of hospitalisation as a 54.7-year-old (95% CI 43.6–67.7 years old) patient in the Pacific group without reported comorbidities. Similar differences are seen across all ages and for cases with at least one reported comorbidity. These differences in age-specific risk are broadly consistent with earlier estimates of inequities in the COVID-19 infection fatality rate.
Conclusion:
After controlling for age, presence of underlying health conditions and socioeconomic deprivation, we conclude that Māori and Pacific people have substantially higher risk of hospitalisation for COVID-19.
[Full paper] (https://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal-articles/maori-and-pacific-people-in-new-zealand-have-a-higher-risk-of-hospitalisation-for-covid-19-open-access)
