Republicanism is bad for your health . . .

 and might even kill you.Nancy Krieger and colleagues studied Covid-19 mortality rates and stress on hospital capacity in all 435 congressional districts, and its association with the political ideology of the relevant congresscritters and whether there was one-party control of state government. Abstract:MethodsWe analyzed observational cross-sectional data on COVID-19 mortality rates (age-standardized) and stress on hospital intensive care unit (ICU) capacity for all 435 US Congressional Districts (CDs) in a period of adult vaccine availability (April 2021 –March 2022). Political metrics comprised: (1) ideological scores based on each US Representative ' s and Senator ' s concurrent overall voting record and their specific COVID-19 votes, and (2) state trifectas (Governor, State House, and State Senate under the same political party control). Analyses controlled for CD social metrics, population density, vaccination rates, the prevalence of diabetes and obesity, and voter political lean.FindingsDuring the study period, the higher the exposure to conservatism across several political metrics, the higher the COVID-19 age-standardized mortality rates, even after taking into account the CD ' s social characteristics; similar patterns occurred for stress on hospital ICU capacity for Republican trifectas and US Senator political ideology scores. For example, in models mutually adjusting for CD political and social metrics and vaccination rates, Republican trifecta and conse...
Source: Stayin' Alive - Category: American Health Source Type: blogs