34th Annual Student Research Conference
COVID-19 and Vitamin D: Social Factors Affecting Minority Groups
Christina Carapia-Chaparro
Dr. Heather Cianciola, Faculty Mentor
SARS-CoV-2, or COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in 2020. This virus has resulted in more than 500 thousand deaths in the U.S. More than sixty-three thousand deaths being Black Americans, and seventy-two thousand being Latinx, making minorities more likely to die than white Americans. While previous research has focused on social factors that impact this health disparity, some studies have identified a possible biological factor contributing to minority deaths is Vitamin D, in which individuals with darker skin pigmentation are prevalent to vitamin D deficiency. This study will seek to use survey research and Vitamin D information in order to explore the relationship between Vitamin D levels in participants and social factors such as access to healthcare, geographic location, and socioeconomic status. A better understanding of this relationship will provide more information about the disparities in COVID-19 infection and death rates across minority groups.
Keywords: COVID-19, Health disparities , Vitamin D, Pandemic , Minority groups, Black Americans, Latinx
Topic(s):Biology
Health Science
Presentation Type: Asynchronous Virtual Oral Presentation
Session: 12-3
Location: https://flipgrid.com/8cc1d4c6
Time: 0:00