This episode explores the complex relationship between racial segregation and COVID-19 mortality in the United States. Drawing on compelling data and sophisticated modelling techniques, we uncover the stark reality of how segregation impacted infection and death rates across different racial groups. The COVID-19 pandemic devastated worldwide, but the mortality rates were not evenly distributed. In the United States, Black and Hispanic communities were disproportionately affected.

This episode examines whether racial segregation played a role in these disparities.The analysis uses four different statistical models:

●Ridge Regression: This model helps identify the most important variables influencing COVID-19 death and infection rates, even after accounting for the correlation between those variables.

●Decision Trees: This approach visually represents how different factors, such as demographics and pre-existing health conditions, contribute to COVID-19 outcomes.

●Gradient Boosted Models: This model builds on the decision tree approach to explore interactions between variables and reveal how factors like access to healthcare and income inequality might exacerbate the effects of segregation.

●Double/Debiased Machine Learning: This technique isolates the causal effect of segregation on COVID-19 outcomes, allowing researchers to estimate the impact of segregation independent of other factors.

The findings reveal a disturbing pattern: Counties with higher percentages of Black residents experienced significantly higher infection and death rates compared to counties with predominantly White populations. This suggests that segregation, with its associated inequalities, may have amplified the impact of the pandemic on minority communities.

The episode also explores potential explanations for these disparities, considering factors such as:

●Income Inequality: The research suggests that unequal income distribution between Black and White communities may have limited access to essential resources and healthcare, leading to worse COVID-19 outcomes for Black residents.

●Access to Healthcare: The availability of healthcare resources, including the number of physicians, hospitals, and pharmacies, may have varied significantly across counties, potentially contributing to disparities in COVID-19 outcomes.

●Types of Jobs: Black and Hispanic individuals were more likely to hold essential jobs during the pandemic, increasing their exposure risk and potentially impacting infection rates.

This episode highlights the urgent need to address the systemic inequalities that underlie racial segregation. It underscores the importance of considering these issues when developing policies to combat future pandemics and protect the health of all communities.

Join us as we explore the complex and often overlooked connections between racial segregation and public health, and consider the steps we can take to create a more just and equitable society.