A recent analysis of data from England sheds light on the sociodemographic differences in the risk of testing positive for COVID-19 during various periods of the pandemic. This study compared results obtained from the COVID-19 Infection Survey (CIS) and administrative national testing data from NHS Test and Trace.
Here are the key findings:
- Variation Across Data Sources: Different data sources revealed varying patterns in the estimated relative risk of testing positive for COVID-19 across sociodemographic groups and pandemic periods. These variations may be influenced by people’s likelihood of engaging with national testing programs.
- Ethnic Groups: During the pre-Alpha variant period (September 12, 2020, to December 7, 2020) and the Alpha variant period (December 8, 2020, to May 17, 2021), the relative risk of testing positive for COVID-19 among ethnic minority groups was largely similar between the CIS and administrative data. However, during the Delta variant period (May 18, 2021, to December 13, 2021), there were differences. The CIS found no significant differences in risk among ethnic groups, while administrative data indicated lower risk for all ethnic minority groups compared to the “White: British” group.
- Deprivation and Gender: In the pre-Alpha variant period, the risk of testing positive was higher in more deprived areas based on the CIS, but there were no clear differences in administrative data. In the Delta variant period, the CIS showed no significant differences, while administrative data indicated higher risk in less deprived areas. Additionally, administrative data consistently showed higher risk among females, but this was not observed in the CIS during the Delta period.
These findings highlight the importance of considering the data source when analyzing sociodemographic differences in COVID-19 risk. Different sources may produce different results, potentially influenced by individuals’ engagement with testing programs. This analysis provides valuable insights for interpreting future analyses and understanding the complex dynamics of the pandemic.