Racial/ethnic segregation to COVID-19 testing: Spatial distribution of COVID-19 testing sites in the four largest highly segregated cities in the U.S.

Asabor and colleagues investigate the relationship between levels of segregation and the distribution of testing sites in four cities. Segregation refers to the extent of distance between neighborhoods of color and White neighborhoods. The highest levels of segregation are between Blacks and Whites, however, there is segregation between other communities of color and White communities. The authors compiled a list COVID-19 testing sites per Census tract through June 2020. And, in parallel, Asabor and colleagues identified the four most segregated cities in the U.S. in order to conduct a focused analysis. These cities are: New York, Los Angeles, Houston, and Chicago. In New York, Houston, and Chicago, there is an inverse relationship between percentage of Blacks in a Census tract and the number of testing sites. And, in Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles there is a similar negative relationship for Latinx.

Resource Details

• Population: Black or African American|Hispanic, Latino, or Latinx
• Setting/Context of Implementation: Community
• Topics of Practice: Testing
• Outcomes of Interest: Advancing Racial Equity
• Level of Evidence: Best
• Tools or Materials Included in Resource: No
• Social Determinants of Health: Healthcare Access and Quality
• Outside of US: No