Which Cities Have the Biggest Racial Gaps in COVID-19 Testing Access?

Key Points

• Covid-19 Testing is not equally accessible across the nation, with factors such as neighborhood/zip code, race, and income all impact how easily someone can get tested.
• In many cities across the country, testing sites serving predominantly Black or Hispanic neighborhoods are more likely to serve larger numbers than sites in predominantly white neighborhoods. There are fewer testing sites in big cities, and these sites are more likely to have long lines and/or run out of tests
• Testing sites in poorer areas are also few and far between
• With COVID-19 disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic Americans, the lack of accessible testing in minority communities is exacerbating the spread of the virus.

Data Source

The data comes from a healthcare navigation company called Castlight Health and from city and state health department websites. This data was also less likely to include more private testing sites, such as physicians’ offices. While the data reflects testing sites as of June 18, the authors note that it may not up to date, as testing sites open, close, or even move constantly. Furthermore, while the study uses census data (from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2014-2019 Ammerican Community Survey’s five year estimates) to estimate population and the demand at testing sites, it notes that demand may be even higher in underserved neighborhoods. This is because testing sites in these neighborhoods are free and don’t require appointments, so they may attract more people. The data was reviewed by ABC News, FiveThirtyEight, and ABC-owned television stations.

From Data to Insight

The analysis focused on the potential demand testing sites in different areas would receive based on population and location/ proximity to other testing sites. While this is an important factor in accessibility, the analysts made sure to note that this review does not factor in testing site capacity, staffing, wait times, or appointment/insurance requirements, which are other key determiners of accessibility.

Analysts had to calculate variables using the data on testing locations and census data. For example, they calculated the potential demand of each testing site using the number of people living in nearby census blocks (assuming that people would go to testing sites near them) and the site’s proximity to other sites in the area.

They then averaged the potential demands of nearby testing sites to measure “community need” for each block. By comparing the community need of majority Black or Hispanic neighborhoods to that of majority White neighborhoods, the analysts found that residents in majority Black or Hispanic neighborhoods had access to fewer testing sites and shared these sites with more people.

The analysts also used a different source for testing site locations and other testing-related data to corroborate their findings

References

Kim, Soo Rin, et al. “Which Cities Have The Biggest Racial Gaps In COVID-19 Testing Access?” FiveThirtyEight, FiveThirtyEight, 22 July 2020, https://www.fivethirtyeight.com/features/white-neighborhoods-have-more-access-to-covid-19-testing-sites/