As part of PhRMA’s continuing work to address health inequities, we are partnering with researchers to study hotspots of COVID-19 and chronic disease inequities in New York state. Reports this summer show that boroughs in New York City with the lowest per-person income and lowest number of employer establishments had the highest COVID-19 mortality rates.
For example:
- As of Dec. 12, 2020, Manhattan had 28 COVID-19 hospitalizations "7-day average". Manhattan has 14% of residents with poverty-level income and approximately 100,000 employer establishments.
- Over the same time period, the Bronx had 52 COVID-19 hospitalizations "7-day average". The Bronx has 26% of residents with poverty-level income and just 18,000 employer establishments.
This disturbing pattern shows the underlying vulnerabilities for communities that have been marginalized during public health emergencies. As the researcher for this report, Dr. Monali Bohsle, PhD, assistant director of analytics and reporting at Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network writes, “the COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to rethink our strategies to achieve health equity across the nation. Promising approaches may include strengthening safety net programs, creating economic opportunities, and continuously monitoring social and environmental determinants to reduce socioeconomic gaps within the population.”
PhRMA is committed to advancing health equity in Black and Brown communities by addressing systemic racism in the workplace and society. To read the full study, please click here. To learn more about PhRMA’s equity efforts, visit phrma.org/equity.
