Table 2. Unadjusted COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates, by socioeconomic strata within census tracts—COVID-NET catchment areas in 14 states, March–April 2020.
| Indicator1 | Quartile | Unadjusted COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate2, 3, (95% Confidence Intervals) | Rate Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of persons living below federal poverty level in census tracts of residence | Highest: >15.2%–83.2% | 133.5 (129.6–137.4) | 1.7 (1.6–1.8) |
| Second: >8.6%–15.2% | 110.1 (106.8–113.4) | 1.4 (1.3–1.5) | |
| Third: >4.9%–8.6% | 97.6 (94.6–100.7) | 1.2 (1.1–1.3) | |
| Lowest: 0%–4.9% | 80.1 (77.4–82.9) | Referent | |
| Percentage of service-industry workers in census tracts of residence | Highest: >22.3%–58.3% | 155.5 (151.4–159.7) | 2.0 (1.9–2.1) |
| Second: >16.6%–22.3% | 100.3 (97.2–103.5) | 1.3 (1.2–1.4) | |
| Third: >12.2%–16.6% | 88.9 (86.1–91.9) | 1.1 (1.0–1.2) | |
| Lowest: 0%–12.2% | 78.7 (75.9–81.5) | Referent | |
| Percentage of persons commuting using public transportation in census tracts of residence | Highest: >9.7%–70.6% | 142.9 (139.0–146.9) | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) |
| Second: >3.9%–9.7% | 112.3 (109.0–115.8) | 1.5 (1.4–1.6) | |
| Third: >1.1%–3.9% | 89.8 (86.9–92.8) | 1.2 (1.1–1.3) | |
| Lowest: 0%–1.1% | 77.4 (74.8–80.1) | Referent | |
| Proportion of persons aged ≥25 years without bachelor’s degrees in census tracts of residence | Highest: 86.2%–99.2% | 145.5 (141.4–149.6) | 2.0 (1.9–2.1) |
| Second: >78.6%–86.2% | 111.5 (108.3–114.9) | 1.6 (1.5–1.7) | |
| Third: >70.2%–78.6% | 95.1 (92.2–98.1) | 1.3 (1.2–1.4) | |
| Lowest: 44.4%–70.2% | 71.2 (68.6–73.8) | Referent |
1 Source: 2018 American Community Survey, US Census Bureau.
2 Defined as the number of COVID-19-associated hospitalizations captured within census tracts within the surveillance catchment area having socioeconomic indicators within the given strata area divided by the total number of persons aged ≥18 years living within the census tracts in the surveillance catchment area having socioeconomic indicators within the given strata according to the 2010 decennial census.
3 Rate per 100,000 persons.