Patterns of all-cause mortality among Hispanic/Latino adults from diverse background groups were altered during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M23-1990   

Editorial: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M24-0249   

URL goes live when the embargo lifts     

A study of more than 15,000 Hispanic/Latino adults of Central American, Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and South American backgrounds found that the patterns of all-cause mortality among these groups were altered during the COVID-19 pandemic, persons of Central American and Mexican backgrounds may have been particularly affected. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. 

Hispanic/Latino persons in the United States represent diverse backgrounds and have differing health-related exposures. Previous research showed that mortality varies by Hispanic/Latino background and by proxy measures of acculturation, such as place of birth and age at immigration to the United States, with lower mortality among immigrants than U.S.-born persons and among those who immigrated at older than at younger ages. However, comprehensive data on morbidity and mortality in Hispanic/Latino background groups is still lacking. 

Researchers analyzed data on 15,568 adults aged 18 to 74 years at baseline (2008-2011) who participated in the HCHS/SOL (Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos). Participants were of Central American, Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South American, and other backgrounds and were recruited from the Bronx, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and San Diego, California. The study described cumulative all-cause mortality risk through 2021 by Hispanic/Latino background (and factors underlying any differences), before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors found that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 11-year cumulative mortality risks were higher in the Puerto Rican and Cuban background groups and lowest in the South American background group. These differences were explained by lifestyle and clinical factors. However, the mortality risk pattern changed during the COVID-19 pandemic: 2-year cumulative mortality risks ranged from 1%-2% and within that narrow range were highest in persons of Central American and Mexican backgrounds and lowest among those of Puerto Rican and Cuban backgrounds in the fully adjusted analysis. Lifestyle and clinical factors appeared to play a role in this alteration in mortality pattern. 

An accompanying editorial by authors from Columbia University argues that these findings underscore the need to address the major gap in health research on the effects of structural factors, health behaviors, and social factors, such as discrimination and access to health resources, across Hispanic/Latino background groups. The authors also note that HCHS/SOL can help to advance knowledge of the structural and social drivers of health among the various communities on which the study is focused and promote better understanding of the acculturation and lifestyle factors that contribute to different patterns of mortality among Hispanic/Latino background groups. 

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Angela Collom at [email protected]. To speak with the corresponding author, Jianwen Cai, PhD, please contact Meg Palmer at [email protected].