Associations Between Built Environment, Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status, and SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Pregnant Women in New York City

Abstract

The built environment is associated with infectious disease dynamics, particularly in diseases transmitted by contact, aerosols, or droplets.^1,2 A recent study of the ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic in New York revealed significant differences in hospitalization and death rates among the city’s boroughs, with the highest rates in Queens and the Bronx.³ To our knowledge, no studies have investigated associations between the built environment, markers of neighborhood socioeconomic status, and SARS-CoV-2 transmission. We leveraged a universal testing program for SARS-CoV-2 in pregnant women to examine associations between these factors and SARS-CoV-2 prevalence.