Impact of the social determinants of health on the rate of infections by COVID-19

Abstract

Objective To analyze the impact between the social determinants in health and the rate of COVID-19 infection. Methods Quantitative ecological study at national and municipal levels. The main variables were COVID-19 infection rate, total non-Spanish-speaking population, per capita income, poverty, and human development index (HDI). The average national infection rate was 2 880/100 000 inhabitants. The T-test was applied, and Pearson's correlation test was performed to determine the strength of the association between the infection rate and the variables. Results Entities with the lowest rate of non-Spanish-speaking population had the lowest rate of COVID-19 infections. The correlation analysis showed that states with COVID-19 infection rates above the national average have better development conditions. Discussion Our results reveal a negative correlation between COVID-19 infection rates and the variable belonging to an indigenous population. It is necessary to analyze from the perspective of the communities the needs to face pandemic scenarios.