Black, Hispanic, Asian children less likely to get tested for SARS-CoV-2, more likely to test positive than White children<\/sub><\/p>\n<\/h3>\n <\/b><\/p>\n <\/b><\/p>\n TUESDAY, Nov. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection rates are generally low among children, with variation in testing and positivity by race\/ethnicity, according to a study published online Nov. 23 in JAMA Pediatrics<\/em>.<\/p>\n L. Charles Bailey, M.D., Ph.D., from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues describe testing for SARS-CoV-2 in a study involving data from 135,794 patients younger than 25 years from seven U.S. pediatric health systems. <\/strong><\/p>\n The researchers found that 4 percent of those tested were infected with SARS-CoV-2. Patients of Black, Hispanic, and Asian race\/ethnicity had lower rates of testing than Whites (odds ratios [ORs], 0.70, 0.65, and 0.60, respectively); however, their likelihood of having a positive result was significantly increased (ORs, 2.66, 3.75, and 2.04, respectively). An increased risk for infection was seen in association with older age (ORs: 5 to 11 years, 12 to 17 years, and 18 to 24 years: 1.25, 1.92, and 3.51, respectively), public payer (OR, 1.43), outpatient testing (OR, 2.13), and emergency department testing (OR, 3.16). Certain diagnosis groups had a higher risk for positive test results, including those with malignant disorders, endocrinologic disorders, and gastrointestinal disorders. Of the children with positive test results, 7 percent were hospitalized, and of these, 28 and 9 percent required intensive care unit services and mechanical ventilation, respectively.<\/p>\n “Future studies need to evaluate to what extent the higher rate of positive test results reflects different testing strategies across patient groups, as well as different social determinants of risk,” a coauthor said in a statement.<\/p>\n Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.<\/p>\n