A new Data Insight from the ADR Wales Major Societal Challenges team has examined socioeconomic inequalities related to severe COVID-19 outcomes in Wales.
This study builds on previous research carried out by the team and uses linked data analysis to determine the impact of confounding factors on severe health outcomes. The Data Insight looks at the inequalities in COVID-19 related hospitalisations, critical care admissions and deaths during the first two years of the pandemic.
The team examined how much socioeconomic inequalities were explained by factors such as underlying health conditions, demographic characteristics and health related behaviours to further understand the drivers of health inequalities in Wales.
Initial findings include:
- The risk associated with all COVID-19 related severe outcomes increased for those in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived.
- Individuals living in the most deprived areas were 1.47 times more likely to die from COVID-19, 1.69 times more likely to be admitted to hospital care and almost twice as likely to be admitted to critical care (due to COVID-19), than those in the least deprived.
- Generally, as the level of deprivation increased, so did the risk of COVID-19 related severe outcomes. However, when controlling for confounding factors, the team found minimal differences between the Welsh Index Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) middle quintiles for COVID-19 related deaths and critical care admissions.
- For COVID-19 related hospitalisations, there is still a clear socioeconomic gradient in risk of admission after controlling for other identified factors.
- A higher Body Mass Index (BMI), living in an urban city and town, a history of cardiovascular disease, a history of smoking, being clinically extremely vulnerable, and a non-white ethnicity resulted in an increased risk for most COVID-19 related severe outcomes.