Associations Between Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index Scores, Rurality, and Histoplasmosis Incidence, 8 US States

Overview

Journal Emerg Infect Dis

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2024 Sep 25

PMID 39320144

Authors

Dallas J Smith

Malavika Rajeev

Kristina Boyd

Kaitlin Benedict

Ian Hennessee

Laura Rothfeldt

Connie Austin

Mary-Elizabeth Steppig

Dimple Patel

Rebecca Reik

Malia Ireland

Judi Sedivy

Suzanne Gibbons-Burgener

Renee M Calanan

Samantha L Williams

Sarah Rockhill

Mitsuru Toda

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To explore associations between histoplasmosis and race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and rurality, we conducted an in-depth analysis of social determinants of health and histoplasmosis in 8 US states. Using the Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index (MH SVI), we analyzed county-level histoplasmosis incidence (cases/100,000 population) from the 8 states by applying generalized linear mixed hurdle models. We found that histoplasmosis incidence was higher in counties with limited healthcare infrastructure and access as measured by the MH SVI and in more rural counties. Other social determinants of health measured by the MH SVI tool either were not significantly or were inconsistently associated with histoplasmosis incidence. Increased awareness of histoplasmosis, more accessible diagnostic tests, and investment in rural health services could address histoplasmosis-related health disparities.

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