Disparities in Respiratory Syncytial Virus Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and outcomes in adults by race, ethnicity, and other social determinants of health in the United States
Creators: name: Horn, Emily K.
name: La, Elizabeth M.
name: Bektas, Meryem
name: Khan, Shahnaz
name: Gerber, Susan I.
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Cancer
subject: Science Policy
subject: Mental Health
subject: Infectious Diseases
subject: FOS: Health sciences
subject: Virology
subject: Computational Biology

description: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination could improve health equity by protecting individuals who are disproportionally at increased risk of RSV infection and severe RSV-related outcomes. However, limited information is available about RSV-related disparities among United States (US) adults. We reviewed US-specific literature regarding disparities across adult populations in having risk factors for severe RSV disease (cardiopulmonary disease, diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease). We summarize available evidence regarding disparities in having or being diagnosed with RSV, as well as experiencing severe RSV-related health outcomes. Disparities are analyzed by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other social determinants of health. RSV-related disparities are observed across all outcomes of interest, although RSV-specific data are limited in some cases. Racial and ethnic minority groups and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations are more likely to have risk factors for severe RSV disease, overall and at younger ages, yet individuals from these groups are more often underdiagnosed. Disparities in RSV-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and deaths are observed, especially among adults from racial and ethnic minority groups, of lower socioeconomic status, and in poorer or more crowded neighborhoods. Findings highlight the importance of RSV vaccination among these groups to improve health equity. In mostadults, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes mild symptoms. However, older adults and adults with health conditions, suchas heart disease, asthma, or diabetes, are more likely to have more severe symptomsand be hospitalized, and may even die from their RSV infection. RSVvaccines, which are available in the US for older adults, protect againstsevere RSV disease. It is important to identify the specific groups of peoplewho could benefit from RSV vaccination. In thisstudy, we summarize differences between groups of US adults who have healthconditions that may place them at higher risk of severe RSV disease. We alsosummarize differences between groups in becoming infected with RSV and havingmore severe outcomes from RSV infection. Existingstudies show that adults who are from racial and ethnic minority groups, whoare poorer, who have a low level of education, or who have no health insuranceare more likely to have chronic diseases, putting them at higher risk of severeRSV disease than other adults. Adults from these disadvantaged groups are alsomore likely to be infected with RSV than those from more advantaged groups. Additionally,adults who are from racial and ethnic minority groups, who live in poor or crowdedneighborhoods, or who have Medicaid or no health insurance are more likely tobe hospitalized, visit the emergency department, or die from their RSVinfection. One way to reduce health disparities is to ensure that disadvantagedadults are vaccinated against RSV.