Abstract
Background
In Belgium, current research on socio-economic inequalities in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis has mainly focused on excess mortality and data from the first epidemiological wave. The current study adds onto this by examining the association between COVID-19 incidence and area deprivation during the first five wave and interwave periods, thus adding a temporal gradient to the analyses.
Methods
We use all confirmed COVID-19 cases between March 2020 and June 2021 in Belgium, aggregated at the municipality-level. These data were collected by the national laboratory-based COVID-19 surveillance system. A level of area deprivation was assigned to each Belgian municipality using data of three socio-economic variables: the share of unemployed persons in the active population, the share of households without a car and the share of low-educated persons. The spatio-temporal association between COVID-19 incidence and area deprivation was assessed by performing multivariate negative-binomial regression analyses and computing population attributable fractions.
Results
A significant association between COVID-19 incidence and area deprivation was found over the entire study period, with the incidence in the most deprived areas predicted to be 24% higher than in the least deprived areas. This effect was dependent on the period during the COVID-19 crisis. The largest socio-economic inequalities in COVID-19 infections could be observed during wave 2 and wave 3, with a clear disadvantage for deprived areas.
Conclusion
Our results provide new insights into spatio-temporal patterns of socio-economic inequalities in COVID-19 incidence in Belgium. They reveal the existence of inequalities and a shift of these patterns over time.
In Belgium, current research on socio-economic inequalities in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis has mainly focused on excess mortality and data from the first epidemiological wave. The current study adds onto this by examining the association between COVID-19 incidence and area deprivation during the first five wave and interwave periods, thus adding a temporal gradient to the analyses.
Methods
We use all confirmed COVID-19 cases between March 2020 and June 2021 in Belgium, aggregated at the municipality-level. These data were collected by the national laboratory-based COVID-19 surveillance system. A level of area deprivation was assigned to each Belgian municipality using data of three socio-economic variables: the share of unemployed persons in the active population, the share of households without a car and the share of low-educated persons. The spatio-temporal association between COVID-19 incidence and area deprivation was assessed by performing multivariate negative-binomial regression analyses and computing population attributable fractions.
Results
A significant association between COVID-19 incidence and area deprivation was found over the entire study period, with the incidence in the most deprived areas predicted to be 24% higher than in the least deprived areas. This effect was dependent on the period during the COVID-19 crisis. The largest socio-economic inequalities in COVID-19 infections could be observed during wave 2 and wave 3, with a clear disadvantage for deprived areas.
Conclusion
Our results provide new insights into spatio-temporal patterns of socio-economic inequalities in COVID-19 incidence in Belgium. They reveal the existence of inequalities and a shift of these patterns over time.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 109 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-10 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Archives of Public Health |
| Volume | 80 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2022, The Author(s).
Copyright:
Copyright 2022 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'The association between area deprivation and COVID-19 incidence: a municipality-level spatio-temporal study in Belgium, 2020–2021'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Active
-
SRP76: SRP-Onderzoekszwaartepunt: Demographic and Societal Challenges of the 21st Century
Bircan, T. (Administrative Promotor), Vanroelen, C. (Administrative Promotor), Vanroelen, C. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Vandenheede, H. (Co-Promotor), Verhaeghe, P.-P. (Co-Promotor), Gadeyne, S. (Co-Promotor), Bircan, T. (Co-Promotor), Baró Porras, F. (Co-Promotor), Spruyt, B. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Vandebroeck, D. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Schreurs, B. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Van Belle, E. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), De Moortel, D. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Schirmer, W. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Buffel, V. (CoI (Co-Promotor)) & Celinska-Janowicz, D. (Administrative Promotor)
1/11/22 → 31/10/27
Project: Fundamental
Cite this
- APA
- Author
- BIBTEX
- Harvard
- Standard
- RIS
- Vancouver