Abstract

Objectives

This study examines how areas with different older population compositions are affected by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and whether urban and rural counties face different challenges.

Methods

Applying negative binomial regression to a data set of U.S. counties (N = 3,042), we estimated the relationship between older population ratios and the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, and how this relationship changes over time in urban and rural counties, respectively.

Results

Although low-ratio counties show the highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic, confirmed cases in high-ratio counties (>25% of the total population is aged 65 and older) increase exponentially with time in urban areas. High-ratio rural counties hit their peak later and recover more slowly compared to low- and medium-ratio rural counties.

Discussion

Both urban and rural counties with larger older populations are more vulnerable and their disadvantages in COVID-19 infections are more rapidly exacerbated over time in urban areas. This underscores the importance of early action in those counties for effective intervention and prevention.

中文翻译：

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老年人口处于不利地位吗？美国城乡确诊的COVID-19病例的县级分析

摘要

目标

这项研究调查了2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）如何影响不同老年人群的地区，以及城乡县是否面临不同的挑战。

方法

将负二项式回归应用于美国各县（N = 3,042）的数据集，我们估计了老年人口比率与确诊的COVID-19病例数之间的关系，以及这种关系分别随时间在城市和农村县中的变化。

结果

尽管低比率县在大流行初期显示出确诊病例的最高数量，但在高比率县（占总人口的25％以上为65岁及以上）的确诊病例随着时间的推移呈指数增长。地区。高比率的农村县较之中低比率的农村县，后来达到顶峰，恢复速度较慢。

讨论

随着时间的推移，城市和农村人口较多的县都更加脆弱，在城市地区，随着时间的推移，他们在COVID-19感染中的劣势更加迅速地恶化。这强调了在这些县采取早期行动对有效干预和预防的重要性。