Select 2024 Publications

Harding JL, Doucet N, Patel SA, Davis TL, McDonald B, Goldberg B, Patzer RE, Walker-Williams D, Jagannathan R, Teunis L, Gander JC

Black Americans are more likely to experience hospitalization from COVID-19 compared with White Americans. This study looked at the association between race and hospitalization within 30 days of a COVID-19 diagnosis. We examined the electronic medical records of Kaiser Permanente Georgia members diagnosed with COVID-19 from January 1, 2020‒September 30, 2021. Overall, 11% of Black members were hospitalized within 30 days of diagnosis, compared with 9% of White members. Factors that could have the largest impact on race-based disparities disproportionately burdening Black members were obesity, receipt of a flu vaccine, and neighborhood-level social determinants of health. These findings suggest that social determinants of health may be drivers of racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes.

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McCracken C, Kaabi O, Crawford M, Gardner MD, Getahun D, Goodman M, Sorouri Khorashad B, Lash TL, Roblin D, Vupputuri S, Yacoub R, Speiser PW, Lee PA, Sandberg DE

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) is a condition a person is born with that affects how their body makes certain hormones. This study evaluated the growth trajectories of people with CAH compared to people without CAH. We looked at the electronic medical records of people with and without CAH in 3 different health systems, including Kaiser Permanente Georgia, and compared their height, weight, and body mass index over time. People with CAH had lower height percentiles at all time points, but there were improvements in outcomes for people born after physician treatment consensus guidelines were published in 2002. Although stunted growth may affect people with CAH, advances in diagnosis and care improved growth outcomes.

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Montoya MM, Gander JC, Suglia S, McDonald B, Patel SA, Davis T, Patzer RE, Jagannathan R, Teunis L, Harding JL

Black Americans have experienced a disproportionate burden of severe COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate whether chronic stress mediates the relationship between race and severe COVID-19. We identified KPGA members diagnosed with COVID-19 from January 1, 2020‒September 30, 2021, and examined certain health measures noted in the electronic medical record that can be indicative of chronic stress (e.g., cholesterol, blood pressure). Compared to White members, Black members had an 18% excess risk of chronic stress and a 24% excess risk of severe COVID-19. Chronic stress explained about a quarter of the racial disparity in severe COVID-19 outcomes. Effective management of the effects of life stressors may alleviate some of the excess burden of COVID-19 in underrepresented racial and ethnic populations.

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