ETHICAL: Ethnic disparities in COVID-19 Admissions in east London [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An observational cohort study of treatment and outcomes in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and non-BAME patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 (positive SARS-CoV-2 swab) admitted to Barts Health.
IRAS ID
283512
Contact name
John Prowle
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Barts Health NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on March 11th 2020. In the United Kingdom COVID-19 has significantly impacted all aspects of the national health and social care economy. It is a heterogeneous disease, affecting different people with varying severity. The symptoms vary widely, from asymptomatic disease to pneumonia and life-threatening complications. It is really important that we identify patient subpopulations with poorer prognoses to optimise their management. \n\nPreliminary analyses of the UK Intensive care national audit and research centre report on COVID-19 in critical care have signalled ethnicity as a predictor of poorer clinical outcomes. 34.5% of patients requiring ITU admission were of Black, Asian, Mixed or Other ethnicity; this is disproportionate to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) only making up 13% of the UK population. \n\nThis will be the first UK study to assess whether there is a difference in hospital outcomes in patients of different ethnicities diagnosed with COVID-19. It will analyse the data from one of London’s largest NHS trusts and it will test the hypothesis that BAME patients have poorer in-patient outcomes; in terms of need for ITU admission and mortality. \n\nData generated has the potential to influence and shape relevant policy and practice to improve health outcomes in BAME communities in this devastating pandemic. [Study relying on COPI notice]
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/YH/0159
Date of REC Opinion
30 Apr 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion