New Household Pulse Survey Data Reveals Differences between LGBT and Non-LGBT Respondents During COVID-19 Pandemic — "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT) respondents to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey (HPS) were more likely than non-LGBT respondents to experience economic and mental health hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July 2021, the Census Bureau began collecting information on the sexual orientation and gender identity of respondents to its Household Pulse Survey." The Pulse Surveys have been tracking the experiences of individuals, households and businesses across the country during the pandemic.
The link includes graphs describing how sexual orientation and gender identity were measured with survey questions. (11/4/2021)
Counties with High COVID-19 Incidence and Relatively Large Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations — United States, April 1–December 22, 2020 - From the summary: "Long-standing systemic health and social inequities have placed many racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk for COVID-19... During April 1–14, 11.4% of counties reported high COVID-19 incidence, including 28.7% and 27.9% of counties with large Asian and Black populations, respectively. During August 5–18, this percentage was 64.7%, including 92.4% and 74.5% of counties with large Black and Hispanic populations, respectively. By December 9–22, 99.1% of counties reported high incidence." (3/24/2021)
Health Equity (from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) — "Health equity is achieved when every person has the opportunity to 'attain his or her full health potential' and no one is 'disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances.' Health inequities are reflected in differences in length of life; quality of life; rates of disease, disability, and death; severity of disease; and access to treatment." (3/24/2021)
Conversations on COVID-19 - Impacts on Communities of Color: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine host a series of conversations "with experts on a variety of topics related to minority health and COVID-19, as well as information and resources from the National Academies on topics related to health equity."
Last Spring, the National Academies also hosted two webinars on the subject of COVID-19 and Health Equity — Serving the Underserved, Poorly Served, and Never Served. The press release quotes Stephen Thomas, director of Maryland's Center for Health Equity:
"Early data has showed black and Latino populations make up the majority of coronavirus-related deaths in cities including New York City, Chicago, and New Orleans. Often, they are already entering the health care system at a disadvantage — whether because of underlying chronic conditions, or due to fear that wearing a mask will incite racial profiling. ...Some chronic conditions that increase one’s risk for COVID-19 complications — such as diabetes, obesity, and asthma — stem from a long legacy of housing segregation, which has placed black and brown communities in the midst of food deserts and poor air quality."
The feature story describes the webinars which are available to view here, and here. Also cited in the press release Children's environmental health disparities: Black and African American Children and Asthma. [PDF]
The Census Bureau has created two new experimental surveys to study the effects of COVID-19 on households and small business:
The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis website, FRASER maintains a Timeline of Events Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic with a focus on its impact on the United States. For the long view, they have also gathered historical resources for a look at pandemics past at Uncurrent Events: Epidemics, Pandemics, and the Economy and in particular the impact of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic on the economy.
Also see Economic Impact of COVID-19: Special Reports, an occasional series with "analysis of the national economic impacts of the novel coronavirus and steps taken to contain the COVID-19 outbreak." (from the abstract)
The Law Library of Congress recently published the report Federal and State Executive Responses to COVID-19. From the abstract, "Although emergency rulemaking has been used in response to previous emergent situations, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in emergency rulemaking affecting every jurisdiction in the United States. The functional effects of emergency rulemaking are wide-ranging and can be contentious. The nature of emergency rulemaking creates difficulties for oversight at both the federal and state level. The rules and regulations enacted under the emergency framework will shape current and future generations as the United States begins to recover from COVID-19’s economic and societal impacts." (9/21/2020)
The Government Publication Department is a depository for U.S. federal government publications and Illinois documents. We also have a sizeable United Nations and League of Nations collection. Our office, along with most of our collections, are located on the second floor of Founders Memorial Library.
Our office is Room 245, and our phone number is 815-753-1978.
