Determining whether ethnic minorities with severe obesity face a disproportionate risk of serious disease and death from COVID-19: outcomes from a Southern California-based retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Obesity has been recognised as a risk factor for poor outcomes associated with COVID-19. Ethnic minorities with COVID-19 have been independently found to fare poorly. We aim to determine if ethnic minorities with severe obesity-defined as a body mass index (BMI) above 40 kg/m²-experience higher rates of hospitalisation, invasive ventilation and death.

Design and setting

Retrospective cohort study from 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021 within an integrated healthcare organisation in Southern California.

Participants

We identified 373 831 patients by COVID-19 diagnosis code or positive laboratory test.

Methods

Multivariable Poisson regression with robust error variance estimated adjusted risks of hospitalisation, invasive ventilator use and death within

SUBMITTER: Patel HM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9243495 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature